Birmingham, AL (August 6, 2009)– Sterne Agee’s financial advisory business continues to grow with its appointment this week as Financial Advisor to the San Antonio Independent School District (“ISD”). San Antonio ISD is the largest urban school district in the City of San Antonio, and the 14th largest district in the State of Texas with an enrollment of 54,000 students.

 Sterne Agee was hired to help the District develop a comprehensive capital plan in advance of a May general obligation bond election that will represent a significant transformational milestone for the District.  This engagement represents Sterne Agee's fourth financial advisory client in Texas, the others being South San Antonio ISD, Harlandale ISD and Nixon-Smiley Consolidated ISD.

In Alabama, Sterne Agee has been the Financial Advisor for the Birmingham Water Works Board (“BWWB”) since March and has overseen the issuance of the Series 2009 A & B Bonds totaling $155,065,000. Founded in 1951, the BWWB provides clean drinking water to more than 600,000 people in the Birmingham Metropolitan Area.

Sterne Agee also serves as ongoing Financial Advisor for the Housing Authority of Clayton County, Georgia and Swap Advisor for the City of Jackson, Mississippi and for Bexar County, Texas.

Sterne Agee’s Public Finance Group is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, and maintains offices in Houston, San Antonio, Ft. Lauderdale, New York, Montgomery, Atlanta and Macon, GA. In addition, Sterne Agee has served as an underwriter on over 147 municipal financings throughout the country totaling $16.7 billion in par amount in the last 12 months.

Founded in 1901, Sterne Agee is one of the oldest and largest privately-owned investment banking firms in the country. A member of the New York Stock Exchange, Sterne Agee has more than 700 employees in 42 offices in 22 states. For more information, visit www.sterneagee.com.