FIG Partners Expands Trading Capabilities For Community Banks

CHICAGO, Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- FIG Partners, one of the nation's premier investment banking and research firms specializing in community banks, today announced the appointment of two experienced traders, Tim Padala and David Alexander, in a further expansion of the firm's market-making and execution capabilities for community bank stocks.

Padala, who has 25 years of experience, has been appointed Senior Vice President, Market Making, and will oversee all of FIG's market making in all OTC markets-listed community banks and thrifts. David Alexander, who has 27 years of experience, was named Vice President, Equity Sales Trader.

With these two senior appointments, FIG will expand its market making operation to nearly 1,000 community bank stocks, as well as deepen its sales trader coverage of institutional buy-side clients across the country.

"Tim is one of the most respected traders in the community bank stock universe and has extensive contacts in both the broker-dealer trading and bank investor communities," said Geoffrey Hodgson, CEO of FIG Partners. "Tim significantly expands our market making capabilities, and David brings a wealth of experience trading financials to FIG Partners. Tim and Dave join an existing team of outstanding senior traders that is unmatched in experience and expertise."

Bobby Hurley, a trader with 30 years of experience, joined FIG's trading desk last fall. Previously, Hurley worked for Southwest Securities and Sterne Agee. He also served as a Director for the Securities Traders Association of Chicago.

Prior to FIG Partners, Padala was a Vice President at StockCross Financial for five years. At StockCross Financial, he had started a successful bank stock trading desk in New Jersey that consistently ranked as a top market maker with significant market share against firms of much greater scale and breadth. Before that, he was an equity trader at Hill Thompson, an RBC company. Earlier in his career, he worked for Advest, Inc. for 15 years, most recently as Director of Equity Trading, and Senior Market Maker specializing in bank stocks.

Before FIG Partners, Alexander was the head trader at Atlas Capital and Hoak, Breedlove, & Wesneski. Prior to that, Alexander ran the sales trading desk at Southwest Securities.

For more information about FIG's trading capabilities, contact Patricia Pines at [email protected].

About FIG Partners
FIG Partners LLC is one of the nation's premier investment banking and research firms specializing in community banks. Founded in 2003, FIG's award-winning research team follows more than 200 bank stocks in the U.S. The firm's investment banking unit has raised more than $2 billion in equity and advised on more than $8 billion in M&A since 2007. FIG's trading and sales team serves as market maker for more than 750 bank stocks and has relationships with 400 institutional investors. FIG's fixed-income unit offers a full range of trading, advisory and valuation services. Headquartered in Atlanta, FIG has offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New Jersey and Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, call 404.601.7200 or visit www.figpartners.com.

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SOURCE FIG Partners LLC