Southridge Announces Independent Equity Research Group to Follow Public and Private Companies

NEW YORK, June 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Southridge Investment Group LLC is pleased to announce the establishment of a full service, independent, institutional research platform offering unbiased, proprietary, fundamental equity research across all market capitalizations.  The team of analysts, known as the Southridge Research Group ("SRG"), will each produce equity research through their own established LLC to maintain research independence.  SRG's independent analysts enjoy a solid reputation in their respective fields of coverage, having an average of 10 or more years on Wall Street - often enhanced by years of prior industry experience.  SRG also offers institutional trading capabilities through a team of professionals with extensive relationships and industry networks.

"Fundamental research means concentrating on what drives investment decisions. Our goal is to present our findings and conclusions clearly, concisely and to provide a balanced assessment of opportunities and risks," said Jack Murphy, founder and Managing Director of Southridge Research Group.

The knowledgeable and experienced team includes:

• Jack Murphy, Director of Southridge Research Group, has more than 25 years of global financial services experience and diverse expertise in fundamental and quantitative research in areas such as derivatives, risk arbitrage, long/short equity and special situations. Previously, Mr. Murphy has held various senior managing director level positions at C.J. Lawrence, Deutsche Bank, Raymond James and Soleil Securities.
• Richard C. Nelson, the Director of Research and Senior Special Situations Analyst for Southridge Research Group, has served as an equity research analyst and convertible securities specialist for Kidder, Peabody & Co. and Lehman Brothers where he gained recognition by the Greenwich Survey and Institutional Investor magazine.  In addition to his research background, Mr. Nelson served in a capital markets capacity for convertible securities at Furman Selz, ING and Morgan Joseph & Co. and headed the equity, convertible and high yield research division for J. Giordano Securities.
• Robert W. Colby, CMT, brings 40 years of professional research and trading experience to his role as Chief Technical Analyst for Southridge.  Bob is the founder of Colby Research, which has developed custom investment/trading decision-making models for institutional investors, hedge funds, investment advisors, and private clients since 2001.  Previously, Bob worked as a proprietary trader for two NYSE member firms in the 1990s and was a Vice President of Research at Smith Barney in the 1980s.  A member of the Market Technicians Association since 1981, Bob serves on the CMT Advisory Committee, the MTA Accreditations Committee, and the MTA Exams Standard Setting Panel.  An honors graduate of Ohio State, Bob taught technical analysis at NYU and NYIF.  He has been published in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Market Watch, and Institutional Investor, and he is the author of The Encyclopedia of Technical Market Indicators, Second Edition, which has become the standard reference for indicator and trading systems design.
• Rick Black, Senior Telecommunications Analyst for Southridge through Clear Insights LLC., has over 15 year experience with leading industry firms such as Lehman Brothers, Lowenbaum & Company, Salomon Smith Barney, Prudential Securities and Blaylock & Partners.  Covering the telecommunications industry, particularly regional Bell Operating Companies, Mr. Black combines detailed expertise and an established contact network, providing competitive insights to the Southridge Research Group.
• Nehal Chokshi, Senior Technology Analyst for Southridge through Technology Insights Research LLC, provides fundamental analysis on the technology and technology hardware industry and joins the firm from Thomas Weisel Partners. Mr. Chokshi has over 12 years of combined technology industry and sell-side equity research experience spanning the technology subsectors of IT hardware, semi-conductors and semiconductor capital equipment. Mr. Chokshi began his career at JDS Uniphase.
• Bonnie Herzog, Senior Consumer Analyst for Southridge through Herzog's Consumer Insights, an independent research platform within the Southridge Research Group.  Ms. Herzog joined the firm from Citi Investment Research where she was a Managing Director covering the beverage and tobacco sectors.  During her 11 years of experience as a sell-side equity research analyst, Ms. Herzog was ranked in the top three in the Institutional Investor All-American Research Team survey for tobacco during seven consecutive years.  Prior to joining Citi in 2002, Ms. Herzog worked at Credit Suisse First Boston since 1997, covering the tobacco sector.  Ms. Herzog has been a guest speaker at numerous tobacco and beverage industry conferences.
• Katie Kolchin, Consumer Goods Analyst for Southridge through Herzog's Consumer Insights, an independent research platform within the Southridge Research Group.  Ms. Kolchin joins us as a consumer goods analyst from UBS Securities LLC, where she was a member of an Institutional Investor ranked Global Consumer Products/Retail team.  She has also worked for Chalfont Hill Capital as an Associate Equity Research Analyst.  Prior to business school, she held Financial Planning Analyst positions at various Consumer Product companies.  
• Lee Schroder, Director of Trading for the Southridge Institutional Trading Desk is responsible for agency trading on behalf of clients, developing customized strategies based on client specific needs and enhancing overall SRG client relationships through the equity research platform.  Mr. Schroder has over 20 years experience in the financial industry ranging from derivatives, risk arbitrage, long/short equity and special situations.  Previously, Mr. Schroder spent several years at RBC Capital Markets with the merger arbitrage and derivatives group.

The group's senior analysts will focus on:

• Due diligence, visiting companies and meeting with key operating and financial management.
• Dialogue with customers, suppliers, and competitors through extensive channel checks while focusing on the fundamentals.
• In depth industry knowledge, long-standing relationships, and broad analytical views to provide concise investment insights on the companies they research and respective industry groups.
• Independent multi-layered analysis that delivers a research product that is truly objective and unbiased.

"SRG will deliver independent, multi-layered analysis in a research product that is truly objective and unbiased.  SRG complements the full array of trading capabilities that Southridge Investment Group offers to both institutional and individual investors," added Mr. Murphy.

For more information on Southridge Research Group please visit www.southridgeresearch.com.

About Southridge Investment Group ("SIG")  

Southridge Investment Group LLC is a full service registered broker-dealer and investment banking firm. The investment banking practice focuses on the sponsorship needs of small, medium and emerging growth companies as well as the needs of both institutional and individual investors interested in that segment of the market. The firm offers a full range of corporate finance services, including underwritings, M & A, financial advisory, valuations and private placements. For more information on Southridge Investment Group LLC please visit www.southridgegroup.com.

About Southridge LLC

Southridge LLC is a diversified financial holding company offering a wide range of products and services, including Fund Management, Investment Banking, Merchant Banking, Wealth Management and Business Solutions.  For more information please visit www.southridgellc.com.

SOURCE Southridge Investment Group LLC