DALLAS – Arkansas-based financial services firm Stephens, Inc. is expanding its Texas public finance operations with two additions to its Dallas office.
Matthew Johansen, a 20-year public finance veteran and previously managing consultant at PFM, joins the firm as senior vice president.
Mairaj Elahi, previously an associate at Regions Financial Corp., will work as an analyst at Stephens.
“Since announcing our expansion in Texas earlier this year, we’ve made significant inroads matching Stephens’ expertise with the region’s evolving public finance needs,” said Dennis Hunt, executive vice president and head of public finance at Stephens. “Matthew and Mairaj bring to Stephens extensive industry knowledge and practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges affecting municipalities throughout the state.”
Prior to PFM, Johansen was a senior investment banker in Citigroup’s municipal securities division for 16 years. Earlier in his career he was a senior managing underwriter for municipal sectors including cities, counties, states, toll roads, water and sewer, public power, healthcare, and higher education. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota.
Elahi joins Stephens as an analyst in Stephens’ Texas public finance office. His most recent position was at Regions Financial Corporation as an associate in the Government and Institutional Banking group. He is a graduate from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.
“Stephens’ continued expansion solidifies that the firm has established a solid foundation in Texas and will continue to grow presence in Austin, Dallas and Houston with plans of hiring additional talented bankers in the region,” Hunt said.
Earlier this year, Little Rock-based Stephens established offices in Dallas and Austin with plans to hire more executives to handle growing demand.
“Surging population growth in Texas creates demand for greater resources and infrastructure improvements,” Hunt said.
Since its creation in 1933, the Stephens client base has grown to include corporations, state and local governments, financial institutions, institutional and individual investors throughout the United States and overseas.
