Miami-Based Investment Banking Firm Defies the Odds of a Down Economy

Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC Celebrates Successful First Year

MIAMI — August 4, 2011 — Starting a business under any circumstance is challenging, especially in the current economy. But investment banking firmCassel Salpeter & Co., LLC, overcame the obstacles of a sluggish economic recovery and rounded out its first year having completed more than 30 mergers and acquisitions, restructurings, fairness and solvency opinions, and valuations.

“When we opened our investment banking firm, we didn’t know what to expect from a market that was supposedly in recovery,” explains Chairman James Cassel. “Here we are a year later, still waiting for the market to come back, and we’re on a remarkable trajectory.”

Cassel Salpeter leveraged the economic environment by recognizing that even a gloomy market holds opportunities. For example, when Gulfstream Airlines filed for bankruptcy, Cassel Salpeter assisted in a $30 million sale to Victory Park Capital.

President Scott Salpeter sees the potential for continued success, even as unemployment and uncertainty remains present. He points to the growing number of middle market companies whose owners are looking to sell (whether a majority or a minority interest), raise capital, or grow through acquisitions. “We’re hearing from owners who are interested in understanding the current market opportunities,” Salpeter explains. “There is a significant amount of capital to invest in high-quality assets – that is good news for our clients, and good news for us.”

About Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC
Cassel Salpeter & Co. is an investment banking firm with professionals who have more than forty years of financial experience. They deliver smart, straight-forward advisory services to middle market companies across America. With a thorough understanding of their clients’ industries and a keen sense of the economy, the Cassel Salpeter team provides independent, timely advice so clients can capitalize on a rapidly changing global environment. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Cassel Salpeter is led by James Cassel and Scott Salpeter. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC, Names Laura Salpeter Analyst

MIAMI — August 4, 2011 — Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC, a Miami-based investment banking firm, added analyst Laura Salpeter to its professional staff. Ms. Salpeter will draw on her legal background to contribute to the firm’s M&A, restructuring, and financial advisory services.

“Like me, Laura’s experience in the legal sector taught her how to analyze even the most complex transactions,” said James Cassel, the company’s Chairman and co-founder. “Her skills will help us address our growing volume of transactional work with thoroughness and efficiency.”

Laura is a member of both the Florida Bar and the District of Columbia Bar. Prior to joining Cassel Salpeter, she worked at Conrad & Scherer and Ephraim Roy Hess, P.A., and clerked at the 17th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in Broward County for the Honorable Judge Paul Backman.

“With legal experience, financial services connections, and her finger on the pulse of the economic market, Laura is a triple threat,” says Cassel. “She’s a ‘next gen’ investment banker.”

About Cassel Salpeter & Co., LLC
Cassel Salpeter & Co. is an investment banking firm with professionals who have more than forty years of financial experience. They deliver smart, straight-forward advisory services to middle market companies across America. With a thorough understanding of their clients’ industries and a keen sense of the economy, the Cassel Salpeter team provides independent, timely advice so clients can capitalize on a rapidly changing global environment. Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Cassel Salpeter is led by James Cassel and Scott Salpeter. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Cassel Salpeter & Co. Will Focus On M&A And Advisory Services For Middle-Market Companies

MIAMI — June 8, 2010 — A team of seasoned investment bankers who worked for Ladenburg Thalmann & Company launched their own investment banking firm, Cassel Salpeter & Co. LLC, announced the chairman of the start-up venture, James S. Cassel. His colleague from Ladenburg and a name partner at the new firm, Scott E. Salpeter, will serve as president.

In keeping with the professional team’s depth of experience, the new firm will provide a broad range of investment banking services with special emphasis on mergers and acquisitions, fairness opinions, valuations, corporate restructuring and financial advisory. Likewise, the Cassel Salpeter team will focus on serving those types of clients it has previously worked with so extensively: middle-market, public and privately-held companies.

“Scott and I have proven to be a dynamic team, both at Capitalink and more recently as colleagues at Ladenburg Thalmann,” said James Cassel. “We had a great run at Ladenburg, but leading a boutique investment banking firm is much closer to our roots and better allows us to provide independent, unbiased advisory services that leverage our knowledge, experience, and extensive contacts on behalf of our clients.”

“Between Jim and me, we have a huge network of professional advisors – lawyers, accountants, private equity firms, and fellow investment bankers – who have seen us in action and who respect the good work we do. As a result, the interest in our new firm, even at this nascent phase, has been reassuring and predictive of a very exciting future,” said Scott Salpeter.

In addition to Messrs. Cassel and Salpeter, Marcus Wai formerly of Ladenburg Thalmann & Capitalink has joined the firm as a vice-president and Chris Mansueto, formerly of Ladenburg Thalmann and Kaufman & Rossin, has joined the firm as an associate.

The new company will be located at One Brickell Square in downtown Miami’s Brickell Avenue corridor. The company’s website address is www.casselsalpeter.com. For more information, contact James Cassel (jcassel@cs-ib.com or 305-438-7701) or Scott Salpeter (ssalpeter@cs-ib.com or 305-438-7702) .