• Investment Banking
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Financings
  • Capital Structure Optimization
  • Exit & Transaction Planning
• Financial Advisory
  • Valuations
  • Fairness & Solvency Opinions
  • Board Advisory
  • Dispute Services
• Restructuring Advisory
  • Loan Workouts & Debt Restructurings
  • Distressed Asset & Company Sales
  • Special Situations
• Wealth Advisory
  • Portfolio Analytics
  • Suitability Recommendations
  • Portfolio Monitoring

Stephen Gaines

Founding Partner and Managing Director

Mr. Gaines is the Founding Partner and a Managing Director of HighBank Advisors LLC. Mr. Gaines possesses over 20 years of financial advisory experience serving a broad range of industries. Mr. Gaines experience covers the full range of advisory services including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, financings, strategic assessments, board advisory assignments, restructurings, valuations, and dispute services. Mr. Gaines has advised both private and public entities on transaction strategies and execution and has extensive cross-border experience.

Prior to founding HighBank, Mr. Gaines was Head of KPMG Corporate Finance LLC, a leading middle market investment bank, from 2001 to his departure in September of 2009. Mr. Gaines led the firm through a period of compounded annual growth in excess of 40%, and transitioned the business from losing millions of dollars annually to recording record profits.

Prior to joining the financial advisory industry, Mr. Gaines worked in the secured lending division of a multi-billion dollar regional bank where he underwrote and managed numerous leveraged transactions including management buyouts, leveraged lease transactions, debtor-in-possession financings, mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and debt restructurings.

Mr. Gaines is a nationally-known financial expert and resource to global and national media outlets including BBC World News, CNBC’s Squawk Box, Fox Business News, Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, Buyouts, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Financial Week.

Mr. Gaines earned a M.B.A. from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland, College Park and a B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Dickinson College.

Certifications and Memberships:

• General Securities Representative (Series 7)
• Registered Principal (Series 24)
• Securities Agent (Series 63)
• Investment Banking Representative (Series 79)
• Certified Public Accountant
• Certified Insolvency and Reorganization Accountant

Contact Steve at (443) 478 1970 or sgaines@highbank.com.

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