Austin, TX – August 10, 2009 – Amherst Securities Group LP, a broker-dealer specializing in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), today announced that Jim Regan has joined the Company as the head of asset-backed securities (ABS) trading. Mr. Regan is a 19-year veteran of the ABS market with extensive experience, having most recently served as the head of ABS trading at Cohen and Company. In addition to spearheading the Company’s efforts in traditional consumer-related ABS products, Mr. Regan will also be working to further develop Amherst’s expertise in distressed ABS markets, such as lease-backed ABS, aircraft and insurance products. He will be based in Amherst’s New York City office.

 

Sean Dobson, Chief Executive Officer of Amherst Securities Group, said: “Over the last 19 years, Jim has become one of the most well respected traders in the industry, and his addition will make Amherst an even stronger broker-dealer. We see the expansion of our ABS trading efforts as an important part of our growth, and Jim’s broad knowledge of various ABS product lines fits perfectly with our existing account base and overall mortgage expertise.”

 

“I am thrilled to be joining Amherst and to be part of the team expanding the Company’s ABS product line,” said Mr. Regan. Amherst’s people, coupled with its superior analytics, have propelled it into the forefront of the RMBS sector and I am eager to add my expertise to the effort to cultivate an even greater share of the market going forward.”

 

Prior to working at Cohen and Company, Mr. Regan was the head of Structured Trading at ABN AMRO, where he focused on subprime RMBS, autos, credit cards and student loans. He also previously served as a senior trader on the ABS desk at Credit Suisse, where he focused on subprime and other asset classes, such as aircraft, timeshare receivables, business loans and railcars. Before joining Credit Suisse, Mr. Regan worked for ten years as a senior ABS trader at Prudential Securities, where he was responsible for all the various major classes of the ABS markets. He is a graduate of Providence College.