Patrick G. Gibbs Joins Mesirow Financial Investment Advisory

CHICAGO, January 26, 2010 — Mesirow Financial today announced the hiring of Patrick G. Gibbs (30), as an investment manager in its Investment Advisory group. He joins Mesirow Financial from Merrill Lynch, and will serve as a financial advisor to affluent individuals, families and small business owners.

As part of the firm's Investment Advisory business, Gibbs will serve his clients as a fee-based advisor, focusing on their short- and long-term financial objectives. He also proposes strategies to improve the overall quality of corporate 401k plans that include selecting providers, recommending investments, supervising implementation and managing client relationships. Prior to joining Mesirow Financial, Gibbs was an investment manager at Merrill Lynch for three years.

Gibbs graduated from Marquette University with a bachelor's degree in political science. He is a member of the Marquette University Alumni Club, Fenwick High School Young Alumni Club and an auxiliary board member of the Big Shoulders Fund. He is a resident of Oak Park, Illinois, where he resides with his wife Sarah and their two children, Thomas and Margaret.

Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with more than $36 billion in assets under management and more than 1,200 employees in offices across the country and in London. With expertise in Investment Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking, Consulting and Real Estate, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals. For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009, the firm posted $467 million in revenue, with more than $250 million in capital. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at mesirowfinancial.com.

For more information, please contact: Sheryl Dineen, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.8158.

The Mesirow Financial name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2010, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow Financial investment vehicle(s).

Securities offered through Mesirow Financial, Inc. member NYSE, SIPC. Insurance services provided through Mesirow Insurance Services, Inc.