Sterne Agee Expands their Financial Institutions Investment Banking Group

Birmingham, AL, (May 19, 2009) – Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. ("Sterne Agee") is pleased to announce that Michael Perry, Bob Toma, Nathan Strall and Andrew Stager have joined Sterne Agee’s Financial Institutions Investment Banking Group.

Mr. Perry joins Sterne Agee as a Managing Director in their New York office and will be a senior member leading the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast calling effort. Mr. Perry joins Sterne Agee from Merrill Lynch where he spent four years covering large and mid-cap U.S. banks and thrifts as a Director in the Depository Institutions Group to originate new advisory and capital raising assignments. Prior to Merrill Lynch, Mr. Perry spent four years at Bear Stearns as both a Vice President and Managing Director, where he actively participated in coverage of commercial banks and thrifts to originate new advisory and capital raising assignments. He spent the first part of his career at both Morgan Stanley and Salomon Smith Barney.

Bob Toma, Nathan Strall and Andrew Stager join the firm as Vice President, Associate and Associate, respectively. Toma, Strall, and Stager will be based in Sterne Agee’s Boston office and are part of the team that will lead the New England/Northeast calling effort, as well as, coverage of Mortgage REITS. All three join Sterne Agee from Keefe Bruyette & Woods (“KBW”).  Mr. Toma spent the last 10 years at KBW where he successfully managed equity offerings and M&A transactions across the bank and thrift space, including numerous conversion transactions. Mr. Strall and Mr. Stager have worked for KBW for three and two years respectively and assisted senior members of the investment banking team in executing equity offerings and M&A transactions.

“We are excited to expand our Financial Institutions Group with quality professionals in Michael, Bob, Nathan and Andy and to expand our coverage to the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England. Given all of the displacement in the investment banking marketplace, we believe that this is an opportune time to expand our FIG practice and to bring aboard talented individuals. Michael will be filling out his team and we expect to add another senior member to the Boston based team in the near future” commented Mark Behrman, Head of Investment Banking.

Ryan Medo, Head of Equity Capital Markets, said “The addition of these individuals represents another step in the evolution of our investment banking business and will enable us to strengthen our franchise."

Founded in 1901, Sterne Agee is one of the oldest and largest privately owned brokerage firms in the country. A member of the New York Stock Exchange, Sterne Agee has headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama and offices in 23 states. Sterne, Agee & Leach, Inc. is Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

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For more information contact:
Leah McKinney
Senior Vice President
205.949.3564
 lmckinney@sterneagee.com