MEMPHIS, TENN. (March 31, 2008) — Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. today announced new executive leadership for the firm’s Fixed Income Capital Markets division. Robert A. Baird, an executive managing director and head of fixed income investment banking, was named president of the division. The Memphis-based investment firm has also named Kevin H. Giddis, a managing director, as head of fixed income sales, trading and research. Giddis will report to Baird, who is also a member of Morgan Keegan’s executive committee.
“The Fixed Income Division will be in excellent hands”, said John Carson, CEO of Morgan Keegan. “Rob founded the Fixed Income Banking group at Morgan Keegan and is widely respected in the industry. He led FI Banking to seven consecutive years of record revenues, and will do equally well, I am sure, with the entire division. Kevin built our retail bond business from the ground up, has served as our Head of Trading and is completely ready to drive one of our critical businesses. We’re fortunate to have their talents and expertise to lead the division through today’s troubled markets and into the future.”
Baird, 56, assumes the top position in the division replacing John Carson, who was recently named chief executive officer of Morgan Keegan. Baird will also continue his role as head of the investment banking group. Recognized as one of the largest institutional fixed income operations outside of Wall Street, the division encompasses more than 500 professionals in bond research, sales, trading, underwriting and investment banking. A 29-year veteran with Morgan Keegan, Baird joined the company in 1979 as a public finance investment banker. Since 1996, he has headed the fixed income investment banking effort which today includes 25 public finance offices and more then 170 investment banking professionals. Under his leadership, Morgan Keegan has been the leading underwriter of municipal issues in the South Central United States for 15 consecutive years and was the 11th leading senior manager of long term municipal issues in the nation in 2007. Last year Baird played a key role in the firm’s acquisition of New York-based Shattuck Hammond Partners, one of the largest healthcare-focused investment banking and advisory firms on Wall Street.
Prior to joining Morgan Keegan, Baird served as a public finance banker at Merrill Lynch in New York. He currently serves on the municipal securities executive committee of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) and on the boards of LeBonheur Children’s Medical Center Foundation and Church Health Center in Memphis. He has also served as chairman of the Memphis Area Transit Authority and as vice chairman of the Memphis Park Commission.
Giddis, 46, will oversee all trading, sales and research for the fixed income capital markets division, including ten institutional fixed income sales branches across the footprint, as well as the fixed income research group, one of the largest such operations off Wall Street. Giddis is frequently called upon to share his market insights in the Wall Street Journal and other financial publications and as a guest on CNBC and Bloomberg television. Giddis joined Morgan Keegan in 1998 to manage the 30-plus person retail fixed income trading desk, which supports the sales efforts of the approximately 1,200 financial advisors who make up Morgan Keegan's private client group. Prior to joining Morgan Keegan, Giddis worked with Principal Financial Securities in Dallas as head of taxable fixed income trading. He currently serves as the finance chairman for Collierville United Methodist Church.
About Morgan Keegan & Company Inc.
Morgan Keegan & Company Inc., one of the nation’s largest regional full-service brokerage and investment banking firms, is the securities brokerage subsidiary of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF). Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Morgan Keegan has over 4,000 employees providing services in over 400 offices. Additional information about Morgan Keegan is available at www.morgankeegan.com.
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation is a member of the S&P 100 Index and Forbes Magazine's "Platinum 400" list of America's best big companies. With $141 billion in assets, Regions is one of the nation's largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, trust, securities brokerage, mortgage and insurance products and services. Regions serves customers in 16 states across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates almost 2,000 banking offices and nearly 2,500 ATMs. Its investment and securities brokerage, trust and asset management division, Morgan Keegan & Company Inc., provides services from over 400 offices. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.
Contact:
Eric Bran
Media Relations
Morgan Keegan & Co., Inc.
901.524.4114
eric.bran@morgankeegan.com
