Principal Financial Names McGough New President, CEO

DALLAS - Principal Financial Securities Inc. yesterday named George V. McGough as its new president and chief executive officer.

McGough will replace Thomas O'Toole as president and chief executive of the Dallas-based regional investment banking and brokerage firm effective Nov. 1. O'Toole will remain chairman until his retirement on Dec. 31, when McGough will assume that role as well.

The firm's parent company, the Principal Financial Group, cited McGough's background as the reason for its decision. McGough has been chairman and chief executive officer of San Francisco-based Sutro & Co. since 1991, following work at Prudential-Bache Securities Inc.

J. Barry Griswell, senior vice president of Principal Financial Group, said no major changes were planned. He said McGough's experience building Sutro and improving broker productivity was attractive to the company, which also wants to improve the use of broker training and technology.

With 62 branch offices and 160,000 retail and institutional accounts, Principal is one of the largest regional brokerage and securities firms in the country. In 1986 the firm, then known as Eppler, Guerin & Turner, joined the Principal Financial Group.

Last year the firm, which operates a trading floor in Dallas, ranked 100th nationally in underwriting with $170.4 million of bond deals in 35 issues, according to Securities Data Co. The firm ranked 67th in a list of financial advisers, with work on $325.4 million in 27 deals.

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