N@N

SAN FRANCISCO--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--JMP Group Inc. (NYSE:[ JMP ]), an investment banking and alternative asset management firm, announced today that John W. Stilmar will join JMP Securities, JMPGroupas broker-dealer subsidiary, as a director and senior research analyst. Mr. Stilmar, who follows financial services, including commercial and specialty finance companies, is due to begin his employment in July.

"John is a highly regarded research analyst who will benefit our financial services effort right away"

aJohn is a highly regarded research analyst who will benefit our financial services effort right away,a said Mark Lehmann, president of JMP Securities. aSpecialty finance was JMPas core franchise at the firmas start, and it has grown and thrived even as we have broadened JMPas focus over the years. With Johnas addition, JMP enhances its ability to provide its institutional and corporate clients in the financial services sector with top-notch insight and differentiated advice.a

Mr. Stilmar has spent nearly four years as a director and senior research analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, where he covered a variety of financial services companies, including commercial banks, commercial finance companies, business development companies and other specialty lenders, and won recognition in analyst surveys published by The Financial Times and by Institutional Investor. He formerly served as a vice president and senior equity analyst at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co., covering transportation finance and other commercial lenders after initially following consumer finance companies, mortgage banks and mortgage REITs as a research associate. He began his career as an analyst in the corporate planning group at Capital One Financial Corporation. Mr. Stilmar holds a BS in business administration from University of Richmond.

About JMP Group

JMP Group Inc. is a full-service investment banking and asset management firm that provides investment banking, sales and trading, and equity research services to corporate and institutional clients and alternative asset management products to institutional and high-net-worth investors. JMP Group operates through three subsidiaries: JMP Securities, Harvest Capital Strategies and JMP Credit Advisors. For more information, visit [ www.jmpg.com ].