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RAIT Securities, LLC Ramps Up its Sales and Trading Platform by Hiring Seasoned Professionals

^{Published on 2009-12-21 14:15:35 - Market Wire}
 

NEW YORK & PHILADELPHIA--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--RAIT Financial Trust (NYSE: RAS) ("RAIT") today announced that its registered broker-dealer, RAIT Securities, LLC, hired two new seasoned professionals: Steven Lewis and Daniel Hill. Both Steven and Daniel bring market experience combined with broad institutional issuer and investor relationships to help support RAIT Securities, LLC's strategy of growing its institutional fixed income sales and trading business.

"It's very exciting that market professionals of this caliber joined RAIT. Their hiring demonstrates RAIT's dedication to providing our clients with excellent sales and trading services."

Scott Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer of RAIT Financial Trust, said "It's very exciting that market professionals of this caliber joined RAIT. Their hiring demonstrates RAIT's dedication to providing our clients with excellent sales and trading services."

Steven Lewis recently joined RAIT Securities, LLC as a Managing Director and Co-Head of the firm's Charlotte, NC office. Steven spent the last 25 years at Wells Fargo Securities and its predecessor companies: Wachovia Securities and First Union Capital Markets. Most recently Steven was a Managing Director in Wells Fargo's Structured Products Fixed Income Sales Group focused on Commercial Real Estate, Asset Backed and CDO securities. Steven earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA in 1984.

Daniel Hill joins RAIT Securities, LLC after 27 years with Merrill Lynch. Daniel held a number of leadership roles during his tenure at Merrill Lynch including head of LOC-Backed Commercial Paper Trading, head of Bank & Thrift and co-head of Direct Issuer Commercial Paper Trading, and head of Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Trading. Most recently, Daniel acted as producing manager of Merrill Lynch's Global Money Markets Trading and Marketing business. This business encompassed a number of products, including all sectors of U.S. and Euro Commercial Paper, Bank CDs, Bank Notes and Asset-Backed Medium Term Notes. Daniel earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from California State University at Chico.

For more information about RAIT Securities, LLC, including employment opportunities, please contact Ken Kates, [ kkates@raitft.com ], or Mike Gaffney, [ mgaffney@raitft.com ], at 212-735-1480.

About RAIT Financial Trust

RAIT Financial Trust manages a portfolio of real estate related assets, provides a comprehensive set of debt financing options to the real estate industry and invests in real estate related assets. RAIT's management uses their experience, knowledge and relationship network to seek to generate and manage real estate related investment opportunities for RAIT and for outside investors. For more information, please visit [ www.raitft.com ] or call Investor Relations at 215.243.9000.

Securities and Advisory services are only offered through RAIT Securities, LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor and Member of FINRA & SIPC.