Press Release

AVE MARIA MUTUAL FUNDS ADDS PRINCETON PROFESSOR
DR. ROBERT P. GEORGE TO CATHOLIC ADVISORY BOARD

PLYMOUTH, MI – January 25, 2017 – Ave Maria Mutual Funds announces that Robert P. George has joined its Catholic Advisory Board. Professor George holds Princeton's celebrated McCormick Chair in Jurisprudence and is the Director of the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions. He served as chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and before that on the President’s Council on Bioethics and as a presidential appointee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights. The Catholic Advisory Board is composed of prominent Catholics who provide religious guidance in accordance with the Roman Catholic Church. The Board meets regularly with the investment adviser (Schwartz Investment Counsel, Inc.) to review the Funds’ religious standards and criteria. Paul Roney, Chairman of the Catholic Advisory Board remarked, “Our Board sought to add an additional member with tremendous professional experience and impeccable integrity. We are confident that Professor George meets these criteria and we are honored to have him join the Board.” George P. Schwartz, CFA, Chairman and CEO of the investment adviser, Schwartz Investment Counsel, Inc. added, “We are fortunate to have such a well‐respected, conservative thinker join the Board and his insights and experience will be of great benefit to our mutual fund shareholders”.

About Ave Maria Mutual Funds

Ave Maria Mutual Funds is the largest family of Catholic mutual funds in the U.S with over $1.7 billion in assets. The five no‐load funds invest in companies that do not violate core values and teachings of the Catholic Church. Ave Maria Mutual Funds launched its first fund, the Ave Maria Catholic Values Fund (Ticker: AVEMX), on May 1, 2001. Since then it has added three additional stock funds and one bond fund. The largest of the funds is the $856 million Ave Maria Rising Dividend Fund (Ticker: AVEDX). For more information about Ave Maria Mutual Funds, please call 1‐866‐AVE‐MARIA (866‐283‐6274) or visit www.avemariafunds.com.

About Schwartz Investment Counsel, Inc.

Schwartz Investment Counsel, Inc. is a Registered Investment Adviser. Founded in 1980, the Firm is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan with a branch office in Ave Maria, Florida. In managing the Ave Maria Mutual Funds, investments are made only if companies meet the Funds’ financial and moral criteria. As such, returns may be lower or higher than if decisions were based solely on investment considerations. The Funds’ method of security selection may or may not be successful and the Funds may underperform or outperform the stock market as a whole. All mutual funds are subject to market risk, including possible loss of principal. For more information about Schwartz Investment Counsel, Inc. please visit www.schwartzinvest.com.

Request a prospectus, which includes investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses and other information that you should read and consider carefully before investing. The prospectus can be obtained by calling 1‐866‐283‐6274 or it can be viewed at www.avemariafunds.com. Distributed by Ultimus Fund Distributors LLC.