The $207 million Berger 100 fund rose 88.8 percent last year, the seventh-best performance among 1,000-plus stock funds.

The Berger funds tend to hold companies with very large or very small capitalizations.

Yet from the beginning of the year through Wednesday, the Berger 100 fund had achieved a total return of 8.1 percent.

Current shareholders may add accounts or transfer shares to another Berger fund at the old $250 minimum.

The Berger fund assesses no sales charge; the minimum investment is $2,000.

That portion, considered high by industry executives, leaves the Berger funds vulnerable to a wave of selling if investors panic in a falling market.

In their best years, the Berger funds were stunning.

One characteristic that has hurt the Berger funds this year is relatively low turnover.

Whether current investors will keep the faith through all the changes at the Berger funds is far from certain.

So far, he has $1,000 in the Berger 100 fund, a growth fund with many technology holdings.