Samuel A. Ramirez & Co., Inc. (“Ramirez & Co.”), a leading investment banking, brokerage, and advisory firm, has strengthened its national public finance team with the addition of three experienced professionals: Cordelia Mendez, Ayanna Louis-Charles, and Courtney Okezie.
“The need for excellent quantitative and analytical talent, coupled with strong underwriting, has never been more important for our clients,” said Sam Ramirez Sr., Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Cordelia, Ayanna, and Courtney are terrific additions to our team, and we look forward to their success at the Firm.”
Cordelia Mendez joins Ramirez & Co. as Vice President, where she will focus on underwriting municipal bond issuances across the country. Prior to this, Mendez held a Vice President role at Morgan Stanley’s syndicate desk, having also worked in the infrastructure group and investment-grade fixed-income capital markets. She holds a B.A. in History from Harvard University and will be based in the Firm’s New York City office.
Ayanna Louis-Charles, Senior Vice President, will provide quantitative leadership to a variety of municipal issuers. She previously served as an Executive Director in the Public Finance Group at Morgan Stanley, focusing on infrastructure projects with state and local government clients. Louis-Charles holds an M.B.A. in Finance, Economics, and International Business from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from Williams College. She is based in South Florida.
Courtney Okezie, Vice President, will be based in Houston, Texas, where she will support bond underwriting services for Texas issuers. Previously, Okezie was an Assistant Vice President at Piper Sandler, specializing in municipal finance for Colorado state and local government entities. She holds an M.B.A. in Investment Management from the University of Houston Downtown and a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas State University. She has also held leadership positions with Women in Public Finance.
“We are excited to have Cordelia, Ayanna, and Courtney join our growing team, bringing their expertise in underwriting and technical skills to enhance our service to clients across the country,” said Ted Sobel, Head of Public Finance at Ramirez & Co.
About Samuel A. Ramirez & Company, Inc.
Founded in 1971, Ramirez & Co. is a nationwide, full-service investment bank, brokerage, and advisory firm offering expertise in municipal finance, fixed income, institutional equities, wealth management, and asset management. Headquartered in New York City with regional offices across the U.S., Ramirez & Co. is recognized as a leading boutique underwriter in the industry. More information can be found at www.ramirezco.com.
