MINNEAPOLIS, May 25, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --Piper Jaffray announced today it is expanding its distribution of European equity securities to U.S. institutional clients. The firm is launching the effort, which is a collaboration between its European and U.S. teams, with two seasoned professionals: Mike Edmonds, principal, who will lead the initiative, and Joe Rivello, principal. Edmonds and Rivello will be based in New York. The firm intends to add more resources to further strengthen its European distribution in the U.S.

"This initiative supports our strategy of distributing our global research product to our institutional clients in each of our geographies," said Bob Peterson, global head of equities. "Our focus is on distributing our quality European equities product into the U.S. market, where we already have deep client relationships."

"We have successfully built distribution of European securities to our European institutional clients, so it's natural to expand this offering to our U.S. clients," said Bruce-Lockhart, global head of European sales. "We currently cover the healthcare, life sciences, technology, and clean technology and renewables sectors."

"These professionals bring deep experience and a wide range of perspectives to Piper Jaffray, having successfully built businesses and led new initiatives," added Jim Fehrenbach, head of U.S. equities distribution. "Mike and Joe are talented and experienced sales people that have built careers on providing exceptional client service. Our clients will benefit from their expertise."

Edmonds joined Piper Jaffray in 2007 in the U.S. equities sales team. He has more than 11 years of industry experience. Edmonds began his career in European equities at Nicholas Applegate and has worked on the sell side in European equities at both ING and JP Morgan. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of San Diego and a J.D. from Washington University in St. Louis.

Rivello joins Piper Jaffray from J. Giordano Securities, where he established a successful global equity distribution platform for European securities to U.S.-based institutional investors. Prior to that, Rivello was the top western European salesperson at Auerbach Grayson.

The Piper Jaffray global equities effort consists of 300 professionals, 700 companies under global coverage and approximately 2,000 companies traded on U.S., London and Hong Kong exchanges.

About Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) is a leading, international investment bank and institutional securities firm, serving the needs of corporations, private equity groups, public entities, nonprofit clients and institutional investors. Founded in 1895, Piper Jaffray provides a broad set of products and services, including equity and debt capital markets products; public finance services; financial advisory services; equity and fixed-income institutional brokerage; equity research and fixed income analytics; and asset management services. Piper Jaffray headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with offices across the U.S. and in London and Hong Kong. Piper Jaffray & Co. is the firm's principal operating subsidiary. (www.piperjaffray.com)

Since 1895. Member SIPC and FINRA.

© 2010 Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

SOURCE: Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies
Investor and Media Relations
Jennifer A. Olson-Goude, 612-303-6277