Press Room > Press Release
Stanford Group Company Announces Major Expansion Of Its Institutional Platform
5/19/2008
Media Contact:
Elizabeth Patella (212) 333.3810 (epatella@brunswickgroup.com)
New York (May 19, 2008) – Stanford Group Company, a leading financial services firm, announced today that it had taken a significant step in increasing its institutional capabilities by expanding into the Clean Technology industry and strengthening its Healthcare sector by hiring a number of exceptional professionals.
Joining Stanford to launch the firm’s Clean Tech practice are Managing Directors Gary D. Vollen, an investment banker; and J. Michael Horwitz, a research analyst; and their respective teams, which include investment banking Directors Melody Jones and Gary Smith; and Vice President Dan Etchevers; and the research team of Ben Kallo and Ralph Fong.
The firm also announced the hiring of investment bankers Stephen Blumenreich, Shawn Cross and David Stubbs – all Managing Directors – to complement Stanford’s already significant presence in Healthcare sector research and investment banking.
“We are delighted that two teams of this caliber have chosen to join Stanford,” said Rocky Stein, Stanford Group’s Executive Director of the Institutional Division. “These additions mark a significant step for the firm and position Stanford as a lead player in growth-sector investment banking.”
Clean Tech appointments
Vollen was head of Pacific Growth’s Clean Tech investment banking group from 2004 to 2008. Previously, he was a co-founder of Prometheus Advisors, a boutique investment bank focused on providing merger and acquisition advisory services to technology companies. Prior to joining Prometheus, Vollen was a Managing Director with JP Morgan H&Q (formerly Hambrecht & Quist), where he founded and ran the Applied Technologies banking group, working across the software, communications, and hardware and services sectors. Earlier in his career, he led the San Francisco corporate finance practice for Sutro & Co.
“Each member of our group is excited to join the Stanford team,” Vollen said. “Stanford is a company that has gained tremendous traction in the last four years, and we have been impressed by its commitment to build the premier growth investment-banking franchise.”
Horwitz co-founded and led Pacific Growth’s research sector coverage for Clean Tech and emerging industrial growth companies. Previously, he was a founder and portfolio manager of North Point Partners after working as a portfolio manager at Jackson Square Partners and an analyst at Hilspen Capital Management. Horwitz began his career with Alex Brown & Sons as an associate in 1996. Joining Horwitz from Pacific Growth on the Clean Tech research team are Kallo, a research analyst, and Fong, a research associate.
“Stanford continues to make quality research a priority, both in equity and policy analysis,” Horwitz said. “We are thrilled to be joining such a widely respected and skilled group.”
Healthcare appointments
The new Healthcare sector professionals join Jonathan Burklund as Managing Directors and bring substantial industry and transactional expertise in key Healthcare subsectors including life sciences, medical technology, health information technology and healthcare services. This strengthening of Stanford’s premier Healthcare investment banking platform further complements Stanford’s eight healthcare policy and equity research analysts.
“These key additions clearly demonstrate Stanford’s commitment to strengthening its investment banking presence in the Healthcare sector,” Stein said. “The relationships with premier venture capitalists, and expertise in executing transactions for growth-oriented healthcare companies that Stephen, Shawn and David bring to Stanford, represent a significant expansion of our strong, existing Healthcare team of bankers and research analysts, and we are thrilled they decided to join Stanford.”
Blumenreich, Cross and Stubbs join Stanford from Thomas Weisel Partners and each have more than ten years of investment banking experience. Blumenreich, who focuses on Medical Devices, and Cross, who concentrates on Life Sciences, both began their Healthcare investment banking careers at Alex Brown & Sons, and spent time with Deutsche Bank Securities in New York and London. Stubbs, who covers the Life Sciences and Health Information Technology subsectors, also worked at Deutsche Bank Securities in New York, and was previously with Salomon Smith Barney. Burklund, who specializes in Healthcare Services, has more than 20 years of Healthcare investment banking experience, primarily with Lehman Brothers and Prudential Securities.
About Stanford Group Company’s Institutional Division
Stanford Group Company’s Institutional Division provides equity finance, advisory services, merchant banking, research, and sales and trading to growth companies and investors. The firm focuses on companies in the technology, Clean Tech and healthcare sectors, offering clients in-depth industry expertise in these areas. Stanford is known for the quality of its research, both in equity and policy analysis. Its policy research group, considered a leading authority on how Beltway issues impact business, was recently recognized by Institutional Investor in its 2007 All American Research Team survey in the category of “Best Boutique/Regional Firm” Macro-Washington Research. Stanford Group Company member FINRA/SIPC is part of Stanford Financial Group, a privately held global network of independent, affiliated financial services companies led by Chairman and CEO Sir Allen Stanford. The Institutional Division has more than 170 employees and is located in key markets across the country with offices in Miami (headquarters), New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Dallas and San Francisco. For further information: www.stanfordgroup.com.
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