Morgan Keegan Expands Real Estate Investment Banking Group with Two Key Hires

Morgan Keegan announced that Mark Decker and Mark Decker, Jr. have joined the firm as managing directors in the firm’s Real Estate Investment Banking group. Both gentlemen, formerly with Robert W. Baird & Co., will be based in the firm’s recently-opened office in Washington, D.C. Decker will serve as co-head of the Real Estate Investment Banking group along with current managing director Chris Kollme.

"Mark Decker is an established banker with invaluable relationships throughout the REIT sector, and Mark Decker, Jr. is a talented and well-respected banker in his own right,” said Rob Baird, executive managing director and president of Morgan Keegan’s Investment Banking division. "We’re pleased to have them joining our firm as we look to expand our real estate practice.”

Decker has more than 25 years of experience in the REIT sector, including 13 years as an investment banker and 12 years as president of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the industry’s national trade association. He is a past recipient of the prestigious NAREIT Industry Achievement Award.

Decker, Jr. brings more than a decade of experience in real estate corporate finance. A graduate of the College of William & Mary, he co-founded the Real Estate Investment Banking group at Baird in 2004 where he focused primarily on public and private capital raising and various advisory assignments.

"We’re thrilled to become a part of Morgan Keegan's real estate team,” said Decker, Jr. "With stellar institutional and retail distribution, thoughtful research, Regions’ lending expertise, and Morgan Keegan’s experience serving as trusted advisors to the sector, I believe our firm is well poised for growth."

The addition of both experienced bankers strengthens a real estate practice that already enjoys extensive coverage by Morgan Keegan’s equity research group. The Real Estate Investment Banking group provides a full range of advisory services and capital raising alternatives for both public and private commercial real estate companies. In addition, Regions Financial Corporation, parent company of Morgan Keegan, has dedicated lending efforts in the REIT sector.

"Morgan Keegan, along with our colleagues at Regions Bank, has established itself as a full-service, integrated investment banking firm within the real estate industry,” said Kollme. "These two key hires are indicative of our commitment to further establishing Morgan Keegan as a leader in the industry and serving the needs of our public and private clients.”

About Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc.

Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., one of the nation’s largest regional full-service brokerage and investment banking firms, is the securities brokerage arm of Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE: RF). Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., Morgan Keegan serves individual and institutional investors in over 300 offices in 19 states. Additional information about Morgan Keegan and Regions — a member of the S&P 100 Index — can be found at www.morgankeegan.com and www.regions.com.