Samuel A. Ramirez & Co. Continues to Expand

NEW YORK, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc., a leading full service securities firm, announced today the continued expansion of its Institutional Sales and Municipal Finance Groups.  

Ronald Banaszek has joined the firm's Institutional Sales Group as a Managing Director and Sales Manager, while Peter Koch and Timothy Houston have joined as Vice Presidents. The team, previously with UBS in a similar capacity, will report to Dan Keating, Chief Operating Officer of Ramirez & Co., and will be based in the New York office.  

Additionally, the Municipal Finance Group has made three key hires. Alfredo Quintero has joined as a Managing Director based in the New York office; Richard Allen has joined as a Managing Director and will run the Michigan region and School District business for the firm; and Nadine Mentor has joined as a Senior Vice President and will run the Florida and Southeast regions. These bankers will report to Ted Sobel, head of Municipal Finance.

Commenting on the hires, Samuel Ramirez said, "We are committed to hiring proven leaders to serve our clients.  Ron, Peter and Tim are dedicated professionals with successful track records. Al, Rich and Nadine's experience with municipalities and their deep understanding of investment banking will advance our regional expansion.  I am confident that their presence will further drive our business and increase the value we provide to our clients. I am pleased to welcome them to our firm."  

Mr. Banaszek said, "Ramirez & Co., with their nearly 40 year history, is well known throughout the industry.  It is a company with many longstanding institutional relationships and the continued build out of its platform will allow us to provide our clients with unparalleled service."

Mr. Quintero added, "Ramirez & Co. is considered one of the nation's leading municipal securities firms on both the retail and institutional side.  I am pleased to be a part of the team as we continue to build our banking business throughout these regions and structure deals for our clients."  

Mr. Quintero began his career in public finance at Merrill Lynch in 1984 and has spent the greater part of his career developing solutions for prominent tax backed issuers in the Northeast. He is also an expert in federal tax law and New York State local finance law, and he has advised New York borrowers extensively on such matters as they relate to their capital programs.  

Mr. Allen has concentrated on primary and secondary educational financing and has been associated with school finance since the early 1980s. He was Chairman of the Board of Allen Consultants, a firm which provided financial advisory services to municipalities and businesses throughout Michigan, directed the Municipal Consulting Department of Michigan National Bank and worked as Deputy Director of the Municipal Finance Commission in the Michigan Department of Treasury.  Mr. Allen joined UBS in 2001 before moving to Bear Stearns in 2007.

Ms. Mentor started her public finance career in 2002 as an associate at UBS, where she covered major Northeast issuers before moving to Florida in 2005.  She then joined Citigroup, where she concentrated on serving the needs of issuers throughout the State of Florida.  For the past year Ms. Mentor has focused on non-profit endeavors and areas of micro-finance and economic development in developing countries, as well as supporting community initiatives throughout the State of Florida.

About Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc.:

Founded in 1971, Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc. is a full service securities firm serving the investment needs of individuals, business owners, institutional investors and government agencies. Ramirez provides retail and institutional trading expertise in Municipal Bonds, Equities, Government Bonds, Corporate Bonds and Alternative Investments. Additionally, the firm offers Wealth Management, Underwriting, Banking, Institutional Brokerage, and Asset Management services. Headquartered in New York, the firm has locations in Albany, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Newark, Palm Beach, San Antonio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. To learn more visit www.RamirezCo.com.

SOURCE Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc.