Former American Express Chairman and CEO Harvey Golub Appointed Chairman of Miller Buckfire; Former First Boston President and CEO William Mayer Joins Firm's Board of Advisors

NEW YORK, Oct. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC, a leading investment banking firm, announced today that former American Express chairman and chief executive officer Harvey Golub has been appointed as the firm's chairman and that former First Boston president and chief executive officer William Mayer has joined Miller Buckfire's board of advisors.  Mr. Golub replaces Henry Miller, who recently retired from Miller Buckfire, and Mr. Mayer takes over for Mr. Golub on the advisory board, a role Mr. Golub has held with Miller Buckfire since 2004.  

"Harvey and Bill are two of the most respected individuals on Wall Street.  Their support and counsel will be of great benefit to our clients and our firm's professionals, and enhance our focus on capital markets-based restructuring transactions for public companies," said Miller Buckfire Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Kenneth A. Buckfire.  "Both gentlemen are highly experienced and have great expertise in leading and working with public corporations and shareholders on a diverse range of complex issues and situations.  Their involvement with Miller Buckfire bolsters the strength of our offering and enhances our continuous efforts to ensure that our team is the best it can be in the service of our clients."

Mr. Golub joined American Express in 1983 as president and chief executive officer of IDS Financial Services (now known as Ameriprise Financial).  In 1990, he was named vice chairman of American Express and was elected to the company's board of directors.  He served as the chairman and chief executive officer of American Express from 1993 until his retirement in 2001.  Prior to joining the company, Mr. Golub was a senior partner with McKinsey & Co. where he focused on strategy and organizational issues for a number of corporations.  

Mr. Mayer has had an equally distinguished career on Wall Street.  He worked at The First Boston Corporation (now a part of Credit Suisse) for 23 years in increasingly senior positions, including his tenure as the firm's president and chief executive officer.  After leaving First Boston in the early 1990s, Mr. Mayer was a professor and the dean of the College of Business and Management at the University of Maryland.  In this role, he organized and led an effort that significantly improved the school's programs and made it one of the top 25 ranked business schools in the United States.

"Miller Buckfire is a leader in the area of financial restructuring, and it is a real honor to become the firm's next chairman," said Mr. Golub.  "We have a depth of intellectual capital that is second to none, a strong strategic alliance partner in Stifel Financial and the right strategy to help companies with balance sheet issues that need to be resolved.  I look forward to working with Ken and consulting with Bill and the firm's other advisors to set Miller Buckfire's strategic direction and ensure that the firm maintains its competitive advantage."

"I have long been impressed with Miller Buckfire's ability to anticipate and position itself for growth ahead of market trends," said Mr. Mayer.  "The firm has rightfully identified the critical role that access to the capital markets will play in the next restructuring cycle, and I am pleased to now be in a position to help Ken and his partners execute their strategy.  I am excited to help Harvey, Ken and the entire Miller Buckfire team stay ahead of ever-changing market developments so that they continue to provide their clients with unrivaled restructuring counsel and services."  

Mr. Golub currently serves on the board of directors of Dynasty Financial Partners, LLC, and is retiring next month from the board of directors of Campbell Soup Company.  He also previously has served on the boards of American International Group, The Reader's Digest Association, Dow Jones & Company and RHJI International.  He is the chairman of the advisory board of Kleinwort Benson Investors International Ltd, and serves on the boards of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and New York Presbyterian Hospital.  He received a B.S. from New York University.

Mr. Mayer currently works at Park Avenue Equity Partners, a middle market focused private equity firm he formed in 1999.  He is a member of the boards of directors of DynaVox, BlackRock Kelso and Lee Enterprises.  He also is a trustee of the Columbia Group of Mutual Funds.  Previously, he was chairman of the Aspen Institute from 2000 to 2008 and Chairman of the University of Maryland.  He currently serves on the executive committee of the Aspen Institute, as the U.S. chairman of the British-North American Committee, and as vice chairman of the Middle East Investment Initiative.  He was a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and received a B.S. and an MBA from the University of Maryland.

About Miller Buckfire

Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC, is a leading investment banking firm.  Miller Buckfire provides high-level strategic advice to many of the largest corporations and leading private equity firms in the United States and Europe.  Miller Buckfire provides a full range of investment banking advisory services, including financial restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and debt and equity placements.  For more information, please see the firm's web site at www.millerbuckfire.com.

SOURCE Miller Buckfire & Co., LLC