Institutional Sales and Trading

We provide sophisticated market analysis, individualized service, customized investment strategies and market liquidity to serve the unique needs of your institution.

For institutional investors

$125B+

Annual secondary trading volume - one of the nation’s most active desks**

80+

Traders, sales professionals and analysts aligned by fixed income sector*

$395M

Average volume of secondary trading positions*

Through customized service...

proprietary research, longstanding relationships and steady growth, we have established a highly-regarded reputation in the industry. Our clients benefit from relevant ideas and insights along with the expertise and willingness to commit capital through solutions that offer:

LIQUIDITY

Supplemental liquidity when you need it most – one benefit of our independent, employee-owned structure

EXPERTISE

Across the interest rate curve and credit quality spectrum from experienced fixed income market participants

INNOVATION

New product origination, in collaboration with teams of experts from across Mesirow Capital Markets and our government desk

INSIGHTS

Market intelligence on government guaranteed agency and TIPS from one of the industry's top municipal research teams.

Capital Markets infographic

Our clients access...

differentiated, integrated capabilities from across Mesirow Capital Markets, in addition to potential access to the firm’s balance sheet. 

Solutions

    With major trading desks located across the US, we focus on the trading and distribution of:

    Municipals

    Three trading desks focused on 1) Institutional investment-grade blocks, 2) Separately-managed accounts and 3) Short-duration securities, lower invest grade and high yield/distressed securities

    Mortgages

    Agency and non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities, dedicated trading for commercial mortgage-backed securities from high-grade to distressed credit

    Rates/Agencies

    Actively involved in all interest rate-based securities. As a top underwriter of Agency debt, we offer a variety of structures and maturities.

    Access diverse, specialized investment products for institutions, insurance companies, banks, money managers, mutual funds and pension funds.

    We focus on the proprietary trading and distribution of:

    • Agency origination capabilities (averaging $6B annually)
    • Asset-backed securities (subordinate and senior) 
    • Collateralized mortgage obligations
    • Commercial mortgage-backed securities
    • Convertible bonds
    • Corporate bonds
    • Credit tenant lease financing, loan structuring and private placements
    • High yield securities
    • Mortgage-backed securities
    • Municipal bonds (taxable and tax-exempt)
    • Preferred stocks
    • Tender option bonds (TOBs)
    • Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPs)
    • US government and agency securities

    Benefit from a deep team of industry-leading credit specialists focused on macro-municipal trends and investment grade credit:

    • Airlines / airports
    • Continuing care retirement communities (CCRC)
    • Distressed / bankrupt securities, including workout and restructuring
    • Distressed local governments
    • General governments
    • Health care
    • Higher education and miscellaneous nonprofit entities
    • Housing financing (single and multi-family)
    • Industrial development corporate-backed
    • Land development financing
    • Prepaid gas
    • Puerto Rico and other US territories
    • Special tax-backed and lease-backed securities
    • Tobacco
    • Toll roads
    • Transportation and transit agencies
    • Utilities, power, energy 

    Stay current...

    with news and commentary on sectors and industries from our senior professionals.

    Senior leaders

    Headshot of Paul Baker

    Paul Baker

    Senior Managing Director | Institutional Sales and Trading

    Profile
    Headshot of George Barbar

    George E.A. Barbar

    Senior Managing Director | Institutional Sales and Trading

    Profile
    Elizabeth Funk

    Elizabeth Funk

    Senior Managing Director, Co-Head of Syndicate | Institutional Sales and Trading

    Profile
    Headshot of Jeffrey Lew

    Jeffrey Lew

    Senior Managing Director | Institutional Sales and Trading

    Profile

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    *Data as of 3.31.2024.
    **Data as of 3.31.2024 (updated annually).