Mesirow Financial Strengthens Legal/Compliance Infrastructure
FINRA Veteran Michael J. Levickas Joins Firm

CHICAGO, November 10, 2009 – Mesirow Financial today announced the addition of Michael J. Levickas to its Corporate Legal and Compliance department. Levickas, who joins the firm as vice president, is a dedicated compliance and accounting specialist with 35 years of experience, including 26 years with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in a variety of roles. He will serve as Mesirow Financial's senior regulatory officer and AML officer.

"Given the current environment, we feel it's more important than ever to have a team in place that can help our firm ensure its compliance with financial industry regulations," said Dennis Black, senior managing director, general counsel and head of Mesirow Financial's Corporate Legal and Compliance department. "With in-depth knowledge of the regulatory framework and examination process, Michael will play a key role in implementing policies and procedures that strictly adhere to the requirements of all financial industry regulatory bodies, helping to protect our clients as well as our firm."

Levickas joins the firm from FINRA, the largest independent securities regulator in the U.S., where he served as examination director of risk oversight and operations regulation from 2007 to 2008. In that role, he managed teams of field examiners for audits conducted at some of the country's largest and most complex securities firms. From 2004 to 2007, Levickas was associate director for financial operations at the National Association of Securities Dealers, an organization that consolidated with the enforcement arm of the New York Stock Exchange to become FINRA in 2007. Previously, Levickas served other roles at the organization's Chicago district, including supervisor of examiners and senior compliance examiner.

Levickas is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Illinois CPA Society, and a former member of the FINRA Series 7 Test Committee. He is active with the Historical Preservation Commission with the Village of Tinley Park, Illinois and a former member of that village's Long-Range Planning Commission. Levickas holds a masters degree in financial markets and trading from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a bachelor degree in biology from Saint Xavier College and a Certified Public Accountant certificate from the University of Illinois.

Mesirow Financial is a diversified financial services firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1937, it is an independent, employee-owned firm with 1,200 employees in locations across the country and in London. With expertise in Investment Management, Investment Services, Insurance Services, Investment Banking, Consulting and Real Estate, Mesirow Financial strives to meet the financial needs of institutions, public sector entities, corporations and individuals. For more information about Mesirow Financial, visit its Web site at mesirowfinancial.com.

For more information, contact: Laura Davies, Mesirow Financial, 312.595.6831.

 

The Mesirow Financial name and logo are registered service marks of Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc., © 2007, Mesirow Financial Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. The information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not necessarily complete and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It should not be assumed that any recommendations incorporated herein will be profitable or will equal past performance. Nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy an interest in any Mesirow Financial investment vehicle(s).

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