HOUSTON, March 9, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- M.S. Howells & Co., a leading prime brokerage service provider, today announced that Bernard R. Vonderhaar, II has joined the firm as Managing Director and Head of Capital Formation for its Argali Capital division located in Houston, Texas.
"We are excited to have Ben join the M.S. Howells Family. His experience in raising capital for managers across a broad spectrum of strategies will enhance our clients fund offering. Ben and I work closely to create a unique and credible offering that allows an embedded, focused partnership with clients versus the traditional speed dating model of capital introduction. At the end of the day, it is about our ability to match investors' needs with our ability to raise capital for our clients' funds," said Mark S. Howells, founder and owner of M.S. Howells & Co.
The Capital Formation team of Argali Capital has long-standing relationships with endowments, foundations, family offices, public and private pension plans, as well as the consulting community. Our process of working intensively with managers to address investors' requirements helps to align interests and expectations from both parties. A consultative approach drives our value proposition as prospective investors are presented with managers that have proven investment processes and historically strong, verifiable track records. This allows for more energy to be focused on due diligence, risk assessment and fit.
Vonderhaar joins Argali Capital from Biglari Capital, where he was Head of Capital Formation and Client Service, a position he also held at WhiteHorse Capital Partners, L.P. Prior to those positions he headed up the Endowment & Foundation and Family Office Practices at Highland Capital, L.P., as well as heading up regional offices at The Commonfund and Bankers Trust Company. He started his career on the senior financial and operating staffs at a predecessor organization of JP Morgan Chase and Marathon Oil Company.
"M.S. Howells & Co. has an excellent reputation in the industry with a very high level of client service un-matched by its competitors. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to add this valuable service for current MSH clients as well as new clients," said Vonderhaar.
About M.S. Howells & Co
M.S. Howells & Co. is a full service institutional broker dealer that provides clients with high quality prime brokerage services. The company maintains a focus on personalized service and a commitment to its clients by offering a comprehensive package of services including portfolio reporting, proprietary macro investment strategy, direct access trading, trade desk access, portfolio statistical analysis, administrative support and capital formation. Through a fully disclosed clearing relationship with Jefferies & Company, Inc. and a secondary clearing agreement with Goldman Sachs Execution & Clearing, L.P. via Grace Financial Group LLC, its clients receive the benefits of major institutional clearing firms while receiving personalized client service.
About Argali Capital
Argali Capital a division of M.S. Howells & Co. has long-standing relationships with numerous institutional investors, both large and small, including pensions, endowments, foundations, insurance companies, family offices, consultants and funds of funds. Our services facilitate an intense effort of presenting managers to qualified institutional investors based on an informed understanding of interests.