J.P. Morgan Securities in New York has hired Mike Lanigan, former Chicago fixed-income sales chief Merrill Lynch, to head up its Windy City sales effort. Kevin Finnerty, head of residential mortgages in New York, says Lanigan, who is a managing director, has consistently been among Merrill's top performing MBS sales pros, and will head up the firm's effort in penetrating Midwest accounts. A Merrill MBS official confirmed the departure, but did not who his replacement was. A Merrill spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.
Also joining the growing J.P. Morgan mortgage effort over the past month have been several veteran mortgage salesmen, including three from Banc Of America Securities New York office: Kevin Blaney, Gilles Michaud and Scott Auker. According to Finnerty, all three are v.p.s and report to sales chief Larry Doyle, the former head of B of A's mortgage sales effort. Rich Weissman, who had left the Street last year to sell for the online bond trading firm Visible Markets, and prior to that was at Credit Suisse First Boston, has also joined Doyle's team as a v.p. Steve Green joined from Links Securities, a New York MBS boutique. Prior to that he was at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. Rounding out the hiring spree is Matt Kaiser, a former principal and salesman with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter in New York, who is also a v.p.