Mesirow Financial Honors Outstanding Employee Contributions with Annual Awards Program
CHICAGO, July 20, 2010 — Mesirow Financial has announced the winners of the 2010 Norman Awards at the firm's shareholders meeting on July 20, 2010. The Norman Awards were created in 2004 in honor of Mesirow Financial's founder, Norman Mesirow, and recognize outstanding employees for their achievements and contributions in categories that have been identified as critical to the firm's client relationships and culture.
The 2010 Norman Award winners are:
Emerging Professional
Lee Diamandakis, Vice President, Advanced Strategies
Lee joined Mesirow Financial in 2007. He excels in his client relationship management role and exemplifies our culture by continuously nurturing real partnerships with our prospective and existing clients and consultants. Lee is constantly informed of current and emerging issues and trends, spanning both the business and the industry. He is a member of the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) team which is responsible for approximately $2.2 billion, or 17%, of our client assets under management.
Business Development, New Client
David Engle, Managing Director, Investment Advisory
David joined Mesirow Financial six years ago, first as a junior partner, and then quickly ascended to a senior position within the Investment Advisory group. He has a committed client focus, which he has demonstrated through his ability to retain and nurture client relationships. His superior commitment and proactive efforts have significantly expanded the team's book of business.
Business Development, Expansion of Client Relationships
Thomas Allison, Senior Managing Director, Mesirow Financial Consulting
For just over four years, Tom has been a reliable source of sound advice, leadership and outstanding client service. Through his efforts, he expanded the firm's relationship with the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation (FSCSC) and increased revenue from FSCSC from approximately $2.3 million in FY 2009 to approximately $5 million in FY 2010. Tom introduced FSCSC to the Real Estate Consulting practice, Investment Banking and Insurance Services regarding specific client issues and needs, which has resulted in new and pending engagements.
Collaboration Award
Andrew Pataky, Vice President, Institutional Sales and Marketing
It is difficult to find someone within the industry who doesn't know and think favorably of Andy. Since joining the firm in 2003, he has consistently promoted Mesirow Financial to a robust network of contacts within the field of Municipal Pension Funds. Andy originally introduced the Management Liability Team to the Chicago Firemen's Pension Fund, which ultimately resulted in a successful Fiduciary Liability placement for the client. Since this introduction, Management Liability has gone on to build the largest book of Fiduciary Liability for Municipal Pension Funds in Illinois.
Superior Client Service
Sally Welzenbach, Vice President, Insurance Services
Sally continually provides excellent client service, having fortified many client relationships over the course of her more than 20 years at Mesirow Financial. She is extremely diligent, and tenaciously fights to resolve client issues with carriers and other third-party providers. Sally remains an integral part of internal communications and fosters team-building. She is routinely the source of praise from both internal and external personnel.
Superior Support Service
Jerry Hendrickson, Senior Vice President, Information Technology
Jerry joined the firm in 1995, and currently manages 15 developers, business analysts and project managers. He is an essential part of the team that supports the Global Markets and Investment Management divisions, tirelessly working to understand those business groups and how they work with external clients. He is considered an integral part of the team that supports existing and the development of new products and services. Jerry demonstrates extraordinary project management skills, a critical client focus and an outstanding work ethic. He continually leads by example and is an excellent communicator among all constituencies.
Innovation Award
Darren DeRisi, Managing Director, Institutional Sales and Trading
Scott Harris, Managing Director, Institutional Sales and Trading
Bryan McCoy, Managing Director, Institutional Sales and Trading
Darren joined the firm in 2006, with Scott and Bryan joining soon after, in 2008. They each take an innovative approach when working with new products – such as Build America Bonds – retail platforms and in trading philosophies. They collaboratively developed a new trading model and created our trading platform. Darren, Scott and Bryan consistently provide superior support to internal teams and have helped to build our Institutional Sales and Trading business through their leadership within the organization as well as throughout the industry.
Citizenship Award
Deborah Solomon, Account Executive, Insurance Services
Deborah has been with the firm for eight years, during which she has devoted a considerable amount of personal time to various causes. She is a member of the Friends of the Parks, contributing to the group's annual L.A.T.E. ride planning, and is active in Earth Day activities. Additionally, Deborah volunteers at Casino Night for the Rolfe Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and continually invests personal time for the benefit of others. Her commitment and action is a great representation of Mesirow Financial in the community.
Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with more than 1,200 employees in locations across the country and in London with capital of $297 million, revenues of $526 million and more than $40 billion in assets under management (unaudited). With expertise in Investment Management, Global Markets, Insurance Services and Consulting, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at mesirowfinancial.com.
For more information, contact: Julie Liedtke, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.7902.
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.
