Michael Hayes and Brian Curci Join Academy Securities to Lead Municipal Sales and Trading

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Academy Securities, the nation’s first Post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank, today announced the appointment of Michael Hayes as Managing Director, Head of Municipal Trading and Brian Curci as Managing Director, Head of Municipal Sales.

Michael Hayes brings more than 15 years of experience in the municipal bond markets, having traded the debt of a variety of states and sectors throughout his career. Mr. Hayes joins Academy from Fifth Third Securities, where he played a key role in expanding the firm’s municipal sales and trading platform. He started his career at JP Morgan, where he developed a strong foundation in Municipal trading, and later joined Morgan Stanley's High Grade Institutional Desk. At Academy, Mr. Hayes will lead the municipal trading business and will be responsible for driving strategic growth across the municipal franchise by enhancing market presence, increasing liquidity capabilities, and building a scalable trading operation to support the firm's long-term growth initiatives.

Brian Curci joins Academy with more than 15 years of experience in the municipal bond industry. Most recently, Mr. Curci was an Executive Director in Institutional Sales at Fifth Third Securities where he helped drive rapid expansion of the firm’s distribution among Tier 1 and Tier 2 municipal investors. He began his career at Hartfield, Titus, & Donnelly (HTD) as a municipal bond broker and became one of the firm’s youngest desk managers, ultimately leading the General Markets Desk. As Head of Municipal Sales at Academy Securities, Mr. Curci will leverage his extensive market expertise, leadership experience, and deep institutional network to drive growth, enhance client engagement, and deliver exceptional service to issuers and investors.

“We are pleased to welcome Michael and Brian to Academy Securities,” said Academy’s Chairman and CEO Chance Mims. “Their expertise across municipal trading and institutional sales strengthens our capabilities as we continue to build out our municipal franchise.”

Mr. Hayes and Mr. Curci commented jointly on joining the firm: “What drew us to Academy was the firm’s strong commitment to its municipal business. From the top down, management has demonstrated a clear dedication to the public finance sector, providing a solid foundation for growth while allocating the capital necessary to expand the secondary trading desk, increase volume, and enhance distribution. Additionally, access to the insights and expertise of Academy’s Geopolitical Intelligence Group provides a distinct competitive advantage. We view these resources as a valuable asset in the municipal marketplace, enabling us to deliver greater perspective and value to our clients.”

Mr. Hayes earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Maryland and holds his Series 7, 52, and 63 licenses. Mr. Curci attended Towson University and holds his Series 7, 24, 52, 53, and 63 licenses.

“Michael and Brian have each spent their careers building trusted relationships with issuers and investors,” said Academy’s Vice Chairman Phil McConkey. “Their leadership will be a valuable addition to our growing platform.”

About Academy Securities

Academy Securities is a FINRA registered Broker Dealer and a preeminent veteran owned investment bank with strengths in capital markets, asset management, public finance, geopolitical intel, fixed income, and equity trading. Leadership and staff have had intensive military training prior to entering and gaining in-depth financial services experience in global capital markets. We are mission driven with a high ethical code, a solid sense of accountability and strive for excellence in the pursuit of our clients’ success. Academy is our nation’s first post-9/11 veteran owned and operated investment bank and is certified as a DVBE, SDVOB, and MBE. The firm has a strong top and middle tier client base served by a national platform with offices in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Chapel Hill, Louisville, Austin, Dallas, Sacramento, and West Palm Beach. Information about Academy Securities is available at www.academysecurities.com.