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                                                                   EXHIBIT 17(1)

                                                                PRELIMINARY COPY
                                   KENT FUNDS

         This proxy is solicited by the Board of Trustees of the Kent Funds (the
"Trust") for use at a special meeting of shareholders of the Limited Term
Tax-Free Fund to be held in the Board Room at BISYS Fund Services, 3435 Stelzer
Road, Columbus, Ohio 43219 on March 24, 1999 at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time).

         The undersigned hereby appoints Martin R. Dean and Robert L. Tuch, and
each of them, with full power of substitution, as proxies of the undersigned to
vote at the above-stated special meeting, and at all adjournments or
postponements thereof, all shares of beneficial interest in the fund held of
record by the undersigned on January 31, 1999, the record date for the meeting,
upon the following matters and upon any other matter that may come before the
meeting, in their discretion.

         Every properly signed proxy will be voted in the manner specified
hereon and, in the absence of specification, will be treated as granting
authority to vote "FOR" the Proposal.

To vote mark an X in blue or black ink on the proxy card below. Keep this
portion for your records.

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(Detach here and return this portion only)

Proposal to approve or disapprove a Plan of Reorganization and the transactions
contemplated thereby, including the transfer of all of the assets and
liabilities of the Limited Term Tax-Free Fund to the Trust's Intermediate
Tax-Free Fund, in exchange for Investment Shares and Institutional Shares of the
Intermediate Tax-Free Fund and a liquidating distribution of such Investment
Shares and Institutional Shares to holders of Investment Shares and
Institutional Shares, respectively, of the Limited Term Tax-Free Fund:

1.       Vote on Proposal
         FOR      AGAINST    ABSTAIN
         [ ]        [ ]         [ ]

2. In their discretion, the proxies are authorized to vote upon such other
business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Please sign, date and return the proxy card promptly using the enclosed
envelope.

         Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. When signing as attorney or
         executor, administrator, trustee or guardian, please give full title as
         such. If a corporation, please sign in full corporate name by president
         or other authorized officer. If a partnership, please sign in
         partnership name by authorized person.


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         Signature                                                     Date