Investment Professionals, Inc. Promotes Brooks McCall to Vice President, Proprietary Trading

SAN ANTONIO, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading bank broker-dealer Investment Professionals, Inc. (IPI) today announced the promotion of Brooks McCall to Vice President, Proprietary Trading – a further step in IPI's expansion of its Fixed Income Division and its proprietary trading operations in particular in response to growing institutional demand.  In February IPI named Randolph Harger Senior Vice President of Fixed Income Institutional Sales and Brian McNeely as a fixed income trader.  The bank broker-dealer also hired Kenneth Muniz as Vice President of Fixed Income Institutional Sales.

Mr. McCall started his career in the securities industry with E*TRADE and later became a municipal bond trader with Advisor Asset Management.  At IPI he has worked with institutional traders, registered reps and in proprietary trading.  He holds a B.A. from Texas A&M University and an M.A. from the University of Texas at Dallas. 

According to John Sacchetti, IPI Senior Vice President and Director of Fixed Income, "Brooks McCall has been a key contributor to the strong performance of IPI's fixed income desk.  His trading acumen complements that of the rest of our fixed income team and will be instrumental in serving multiple needs of our financial institution partners and clients of our registered reps."

The promotion of Brooks McCall and expansion of IPI's Fixed Income Division reflect the bank broker-dealer's strong growth in bank investment programs, retail private asset management and institutional trading over the past two years.  The strategy is designed to maintain IPI's superiority in pricing and execution and to encourage bank partners to harvest revenue opportunities and cost efficiencies throughout the relationship – including bank treasury departments.  

Fixed Income Director Sacchetti adds, "My goal is to replicate our stellar fourth quarter 2009 and first quarter 2010 results and keep IPI at the forefront of our industry with competitive fixed income pricing and best-of-breed instruments for client portfolios.  IPI's unique value proposition – an advanced fixed income trading platform, unparalleled training and 360 degree dedicated operations support – positions us for success in 2010 and beyond."

About Investment Professionals, Inc.

Founded in 1992, IPI is a private, Texas-based investment and insurance brokerage and asset management firm with $4.2 billion under management and 45,000 clients nationwide.  IPI is a leading provider of on-site bank investment programs and currently partners with more than 125 financial institutions with assets in the range of $35 million to over $7 billion.  The firm's retail branches are in San Antonio and Houston, Texas, in The Woodlands and Clear Lake.

IPI recently moved up to 3rd place in its category of $35-$99 million in revenue on the San Antonio Business Journal's 2009 Fast Track list of fastest-growing companies.(1)  The list ranked companies by compounded average growth in revenue in the 2006-2008 period.  Notwithstanding the challenging market of 2008, IPI maintained a solid 19% average revenue growth from 2006-2008.  In the 12-year period from 1996-2007, IPI earned an average return on equity of 31%.  

In seven American Brokerage Consultants' Studies of Bank Brokerage and Retail Investment Services over 12 years from 1997-2009, bank executives nationwide cast over 2,200 votes overwhelmingly in favor of IPI.  In 2008 IPI was voted the Most Highly Rated Bank Brokerage Firm for an unprecedented fourth time.  In addition to being one of the fastest-growing companies in San Antonio, IPI has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for three years in a row.(2)  IPI is a registered broker-dealer, registered investment advisor and member of FINRA and SIPC.  

NO BANK GUARANTEE | NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE Securities and Advisory Services offered through Investment Professionals, Inc., a Registered Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor. IPI does not offer or provide legal or tax advice. Please consult your attorney and/or tax advisor for such services. Member FINRA and SIPC.

In seven ABC Studies of Bank Brokerage and Retail Investment Services over 13 years from 1997-2009, bank executives nationwide cast over 2,200 votes overwhelmingly in favor of IPI.  In the ABC study published in 2009 IPI was voted the Most Highly Rated Bank Brokerage Firm in the country for an unprecedented fourth time. IPI is one of the fastest-growing companies in San Antonio and has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for three years in a row.

(1) San Antonio Business Journal, 7/17/09

(2) Texas Monthly Magazine, 2009, 2008, 2007

Contact:  John Evans  210-582-2841

SOURCE Investment Professionals, Inc.