Raymond James
Raymond James has added 4 senior public finance professionals in Illinois — two to its Chicago workplace, and two to a brand new workplace it’s opening 28 miles west in Naperville.
Managing Director Stephan Roberts and Director Amy Younger will likely be primarily based within the agency’s downtown Chicago workplace. Managing Director Dalena Welkomer and Vice President Adam Holstine will likely be primarily based out of the brand new workplace in Naperville.
“The thought behind opening a Naperville workplace is… to essentially give us a presence so we will simply get to loads of our purchasers, that are west of 294 and south of I-80, with out getting tied up in visitors,” mentioned Managing Director Elizabeth Hennessy, who leads the agency’s Illinois follow. “We actually needed a handy outpost there.”
Hennessy mentioned these purchasers embody loads of municipal issuers and college districts.
The brand new hires have expertise in that space, in addition to with park districts, airports, counties, libraries and hearth safety districts.
“In addition they have an excellent Michigan presence, which is additive to our follow there, which at present actually form of completely covers Ok 12 with, once more, some municipal issuers sprinkled in,” she mentioned.
All 4 new hires come from Baird.
Welkomer and Roberts had been at that agency for 21 and 27 years, respectively, and can concentrate on serving cities, villages, counties, transportation issuers and park, library and hearth safety districts. Roberts can even increase the agency’s companies to native governments in Iowa and Michigan.
“I am honored to hitch Raymond James’ completed public finance staff and assist develop the agency’s footprint throughout Illinois,” Welkomer mentioned in a press release.
“We’re steadfast in our continued dedication to the shopper, whose wants all the time come first,” Roberts mentioned in a press release.
Hennessy mentioned the brand new hires’ confirmed dedication to shopper wants made them every an excellent cultural match for the agency.
“One of many issues that basically impressed me about this group is their integrity, their repute available in the market, and (their historical past of) placing the shopper first, which is 100% according to the Raymond James philosophy and tradition, which is actually vital to us,” she mentioned.
Younger spent 27 years at Baird, working with state and municipal governments, and on financial improvement, training, healthcare, housing, nonprofit, transportation, water and utility points. She has targeted extra lately on Midwest larger training and nonprofits.
Holstine spent the previous decade at Baird, supporting that agency’s purchasers with analytical and banking companies.
“This can be a first-class staff with deep experience in public finance and a confirmed observe report of success delivering strategic financing options to purchasers,” Gavin Murrey, govt vice chairman and head of public finance/debt funding banking, mentioned in a press release. “The addition of this extremely regarded group is the proper complement to our Illinois follow.”
Hennessy mentioned the agency is wanting ahead to continued issuance progress within the 12 months forward.
“It has been a report 12 months of issuance right here in 2025, and I feel that is solely going to proceed with rates of interest coming down; a few of these refunding alternatives will come again,” she mentioned. “And relying on income pressures for districts from state or federal ranges, on this setting, we see one other strong 12 months forward.”
Raymond James ranked eighth amongst municipal underwriters within the first half of 2025,
