Raymond James hires experienced municipal finance veteran Jay Wheatley

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James is expanding the capabilities of its municipal bond business through the hiring of industry veteran George “Jay” Wheatley as a managing director and municipal underwriter. Wheatley joins Raymond James from Citi and will work closely with the Public Finance division to expand the firm’s relationships with large issuers across the country.

Wheatley has broad and deep muni experience having worked in Citi’s municipal bond department for over 35 years, most recently as head of the national syndicate desk where he managed negotiated transactions for issuers across the country. At Raymond James he joins a team of 10 underwriters who cover seven municipal desks across the United States. 

“Raymond James is committed to growing our municipal finance business because we see tremendous opportunity in the marketplace,” said Gavin Murrey, executive vice president and head of Public Finance. “Muni bonds are an important offering to both our 8,800 financial advisors and institutional fixed income salesforce across the country. Our broad distribution platform is very beneficial to issuers of all sizes who are paying attention to our commitment to the space on all levels. Jay is a highly regarded and tenured professional who is deeply ingrained in this business and whose expertise will radiate throughout our entire Fixed Income practice.”

Wheatley has managed more than $700 billion in transactions and led deals in every sector. His municipal bond expertise is well rounded having also held leadership roles in sales and trading at Citi before transitioning to underwriting. A graduate of Williams College, Wheatley is based in New York City.

“Raymond James is always looking to add top talent and after many conversations with Jay, we knew we needed to have him on our team,” said  Casy O’brien, managing director and Municipal Fixed Income department manager. “As we continue to execute on our growth plans in the muni space, Jay will be a key component to strengthen our existing issuer relationships and introduce us to new issuers who are looking for a strong distribution network. Jay is a trusted collaborator and we’re thrilled that he’s joined us.” 

The addition of Wheatley is the most recent in a large round of growth for Raymond James Public Finance which added 10 professionals in March, also from Citi.

Consistently ranked as a top five underwriter of municipal bonds nationally, according to Bloomberg,* Raymond James has one of the largest public finance practices in the country with approximately 180 professionals in 39 locations nationwide. Through a series of strategic hires, Raymond James has expanded coverage into 10 new states and added or expanded six national specialty areas since 2018. The firm offers municipal issuers a comprehensive distribution platform and the largest middle market sales force of any U.S. broker/dealer. Additional information is available at rjpublicfinance.com.

About Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The company has approximately 8,800 financial advisors. Total client assets are $1.45 trillion as of May 31, 2024. Public since 1983, the firm is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RJF. Additional information is available at www.raymondjames.com. /SIPC.