Speakers Bureau: Municipalities

Marie Autphenne

Managing Director, Senior Muni Credit Analyst
Fixed Income Municipal Credit Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
The Ins and Outs of Municipal Bonds

Brief Topic Description(s):
A discussion of the fundamentals and technicals of the municipal bond market, with a focus on credit trends and surveillance best practices.

Target Audience:
Municipalities, Banks, Total Return

Vinny Bleau

Vice President, Fixed Income Analyst
Total Return and Relative Value Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
Fixed Income Strategies for the Current Economic Environment, Sector Valuations, Portfolio Strategy, Relative Value, Yield Curve Strategy, Total Return Ideas

Brief Topic Description(s):
Fixed income strategies for the current economic environment: There is always some uncertainty in the market. We use a top-down approach to help you invest in the current economic environment.

Sector valuations: We will discuss the various investment grade sectors and where and why certain attractive investments exist.

Portfolio strategy: Strategies to help improve portfolio performance during different economic cycles.

Relative value: We analyze where relative value(s) exist(s) in the market today.

Yield curve strategy: Interest rate cycles can last for years at a time. We help investors position their portfolios as the curve twists and turns.

Total return ideas: We discuss which investment strategies and tactics will help you outperform on a total return basis.

Target Audience:
Economics, Municipalities, Total Return, Banks

Hunter Meisenheimer, CFA^®

Managing Director, Senior Mortgage Analyst
Fixed Income Research

Possible Topic Title(s):
Mortgage Market, Relative Value, Yield Curve Strategy, Portfolio Strategies, Primers on Fixed MBS, ARMs and CMOs

Brief Topic Description(s):
Mortgage Market Issues and Trends: GSE updates, spread, price and prepay risk and trends, current hot topics

Relative Value: Identify quality sectors and bond types for risk/return for current rates, rising/declining rates and curve shifts

Yield Curve Strategy: What factors are driving rates in the current market environment and how to position your portfolio to maximize its potential

Portfolio Strategies: Strategies to help improve portfolio performance, tools and reports to identify reinvestment opportunities, timely market commentary and sector analysis

Primers on Fixed MBS, ARMs and CMOs: Basic discussion for beginning investors

Target Audience:
Municipalities, Banks, Total Return, Credit Unions

Blake Mills

Director
Senior Municipal Strategist
Fixed Income Municipal Credit Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
Community Reinvestment Act (CRA): Investing in Municipals, Municipal Surveillance

Brief Topic Description(s):
Investing in municipal bonds for CRA: General overview of tools, resources and procedures that are commonly used to identify CRA municipal investments

Developing an investment policy for municipal bonds: Guidance into structuring a municipal investment policy that meets regulatory requirements as well as leaves enough flexibly to find value within the market

General credit monitoring procedures for municipal bonds: Guidance into monitoring municipal investments from a credit perspective on both a pre-purchase and post-purchase basis

Fundamental understanding of municipal bonds: Provides a general overview of the municipal bond market

Target Audience:
Banks, Credit Unions, Municipalities

Ellis Phifer, CFA^®, CMT

Managing Director
Total Return and Relative Value Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
Fixed Income Strategies for the Current Economic Environment, Sector Valuations, Portfolio Strategy, Relative Value, Yield Curve Strategy, Total Return Ideas

Brief Topic Description(s):
Fixed Income Strategies for the Current Economic Environment: There’s always some uncertainty in the market. This presentation helps you make sense of what is affecting the market and sound ways to position your portfolio to take advantage of what the market is giving you.

Sector Valuations: We will discuss the various investment grade sectors and where and why certain attractive investments exist.

Portfolio Strategy: How an overall portfolio strategy should look now, as well as the tactical opportunities that currently exist.

Relative Value: We will discuss where relative value(s) exist(s) in the market today.

Yield Curve Strategy: Interest rate cycles last for years at a time, and ways to position your portfolio change as the curve twists and turns.

Total Return Ideas: We discuss which investment strategies and tactics will help you outperform on a total return basis.

Target Audience:
Economics, Municipalities, Total Return, Banks

Richard Szalkowski

Managing Director, Senior Muni Credit Analyst
Municipal Credit and Strategy Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
Nonprofit Hospital and Health Systems

Brief Topic Description(s):
Analyzing nonprofit hospital and health system credits. Reviewing credit trends and spreads for nonprofit hospitals and health systems.

Target Audience:
Municipalities, Banks, Total Return

Lindsay Wilhelm

Managing Director, Senior Muni Credit Analyst
Fixed Income Municipal Credit Group

Possible Topic Title(s):
The Ins and Outs of Municipal Bonds

Brief Topic Description(s):
A discussion of the fundamentals and technicals of the municipal bond market, with a focus on credit trends and surveillance best practices.

Deeper dives into municipal credit analysis.

Target Audience:
Municipalities, Banks, Total Return