MLV Announces the Formation of a REIT Research Team Led By Leading REIT and Lodging Analyst

NEW YORK, Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MLV & Co. announced today that Ryan Meliker has joined the firm's equity research team from Morgan Stanley.  Mr. Meliker, as MLV's Senior REIT Analyst, will spearhead the development of a REIT research team that will launch broad coverage of the sector and will encompass all property classes as well as mortgage REITs and specialty finance companies.  Additional announcements regarding the other members of the team will be forthcoming over the next several weeks.

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"Expanding into the REIT sector was the next logical step in building out our research platform.  Ryan Meliker is a highly respected analyst in the REIT space.  We are delighted to have him join us as the founding member of our REIT research team," said Patrice McNicoll, CEO and founding partner of MLV & Co. "Ryan's market insight, strong relationships, and thoughtful research fit perfectly into MLV's fundamental research paradigm."

"We are proud of our proven record of attracting top talent to our research team.  Adding an analyst of Ryan's caliber demonstrates MLV's commitment to building out a top tier franchise in the REIT space." Dean Colucci, President of MLV, added.  "We expect to announce additional members of the REIT team over the coming weeks as we seek to create a coverage universe that will include a broad range of property classes as well as mortgage REITs and specialty finance companies."

Mr. Meliker commented, "I am excited to join a group of such talented investment professionals at a firm as unique as MLV.  I believe the company's differentiated and efficient capital markets approach uniquely positions the firm for exceptional growth opportunities going forward.  Additionally, the planned employment of an experienced team of REIT analysts is just one of many indications of MLV's commitment to the REIT sector.  This is a fantastic platform from which to cover the REIT and Lodging stocks and I look forward to expanding MLV's research coverage and providing thoughtful and relevant research to our clients."

Prior to joining MLV & Co., Mr. Meliker was the lead Lodging REIT analyst at Morgan Stanley.  In his five years with Morgan Stanley, Mr. Meliker worked on teams that covered all REIT property classes as well as hotel operators.  Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Mr. Meliker was a consultant with PricewatehouseCoopers' hospitality advisory group.  Mr. Meliker holds an M.B.A. from the Michigan State University in Finance and Hospitality Business, and a B.A. from Colgate University in History and Russian Studies.

ABOUT MLV & Co.:

MLV is a boutique investment bank and institutional broker-dealer focused on providing independent financial advice and unique capital markets expertise to corporate and institutional clients in capital intensive industries such as real estate, energy, metals and mining, life sciences, and technology. With a focus on raising money efficiently for clients, MLV has been the leading Wall Street firm in the At-the-Market (ATM) transaction market in both 2010 and 2011. MLV is a member of FINRA and the SIPC. For more information please visit www.mlvco.com or contact Randy Billhardt at 212-542-5882 ([email protected]).

SOURCE MLV