DALLAS -- Stephens Inc. has expanded its public finance operations in Texas with executive hires in its Dallas and Austin offices.
Curt Shelmire, previously managing director of public finance investment banking at Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., moves to Stephens’ Dallas office as senior vice president and manager of Texas public finance.
Kevin Jackson, formerly head of municipal trading at Preston Hollow Capital, joins Stephens as vice president of municipal underwriting and trading in Austin.
Dennis Hunt, executive vice president and head of public finance at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock, Ark., said Shelmire and Jackson bring important skills and experience to an expanding market.
“Surging population growth in Texas creates demand for greater resources and infrastructure improvements,” Hunt said. “Curt and Kevin bring to Stephens a wealth of industry experience and practical knowledge of the opportunities and challenges affecting municipalities throughout the state.”
Stephens plans pursue more bankers in Austin, Dallas and Houston, Hunt said.
Shelmire has more than 27 years of public finance experience in the industry, with most of it in Austin. Before joining Stifel, he worked at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia.
Jackson has nearly two decades of experience in municipal underwriting and trading. Before joining Preston Hollow, he was was senior vice president and managing director of municipal trading at Hilltop Securities. He graduated cum laude from Northwood University.
“With the additions of Curt and Kevin, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the strong momentum in our public finance investment banking business and the opportunities that lie ahead,” said Larry Bowden, executive vice president and director of fixed income sales and trading.
Since its inception in 1933, privately held Stephens Inc. has served a broad client base which includes corporations, state and local governments, financial institutions, institutional investors and individual investors.
