PUBLIC FINANCE
Overview
Over the course of the past two years, American Veterans Group has structured and marketed some of the most innovative, dynamic, and challenging municipal bond transactions in the country, serving state and local governments, transportation, and utility clients.
We have become a leader by listening and understanding client needs and tailoring solutions for some of the most important government entities. Our reputation for integrity and service — coupled with our track record of success — has led to an organic growth, allowing us to serve an expanding number of clients from coast to coast.
Products and Services
American Veterans Group provides expertise in fixed rate and short-term products. We remain sensitive to market conditions, and, through careful analysis and market agility, we identify opportunities to reduce capital cost through new money financing, refunding transactions and debt restructurings. American Veterans Group will become a leader in primary and secondary capital markets.
The following team leads our firm's Public Finance business.
PHIL CULPEPPER, Managing Director & Head of Public Finance
Phil Culpepper joined AVG in September 2023 as the head of its Investment Banking team and has nearly 20 years of finance experience. Phil started his career serving in various roles in state government with a focus on municipal finance and project finance. He served as the Deputy Executive Director/Chief of Staff of the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the Director of Debt Management for the State of Illinois (GOMB) and as a financial/bond analyst for the Illinois Tollway. During his tenure with the State of Illinois and its authorities, he has led the issuance of over $15 billion in bond and derivative transactions. After leaving state government in 2010, Phil joined an industry leading Hispanic-owned investment bank as the Head of Midwest Operations and was their lead banker on approximately $87 billion in primary market offerings until his departure in 2022. Prior to joining AVG, he was the Head of Municipal Finance for a small disabled veteran owned investment bank.
Phil was a non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and holds a degree in Economics from Loyola University Chicago and holds FINRA Series 7, 53 and 63 licenses.
MATTHEW SANDERS,
Director (Head Underwriter)
Mr. Sanders has over 21 years of experience in fixed income securities. He started his career at Smith Barney in 1998 working with money market funds and primarily trading short term instruments. In 2001, Mr. Sanders joined Lehman Brothers municipal bond department and transitioned to Barclay’s Capital in 2008. He joined Gates Capital in 2009, trading financial instruments across all product lines, and spearheading the municipal competitive underwriting effort. He was also involved in many pricing, and informational calls in the negotiated process as well. He has been working in underwriting for the last 8 years. While at Gates Capital was the underwriter that led Gates representation in a competitive underwriting syndicate with Morgan Stanley, Raymond James and Fidelity. He has been the underwriter, co-managing on over 250 successful competitive bids for American Veterans Group.
Matt received his bachelor’s degree in Finance from Syracuse University and holds FINRA Series 7, 55, and 63 licenses.