Siebert Williams Shank Creates Higher Education Group, Names Julia Harris Managing Director
Ms. Harris, a 25-year veteran in the municipal finance space, will lead the firm’s efforts from its Chicago office
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS --Siebert Williams Shank (“SWS”), the #1 ranked women- and minority-owned investment banking firm in the nation, has created a new dedicated Higher Education group.
Based in Chicago, the group will raise money for major universities through municipal bonds, a major growth area in the sector. SWS’s outstanding track record in the municipal bonds space make the Higher Education practice a natural outgrowth of its core businesses and provides the firm a valuable opportunity to strengthen its Midwestern roots.
Leading this new initiative is Julia Harris, who brings more than 25 years of experience to the role of Managing Director & Head of the Higher Education Group. Ms. Harris has worked across industries, including higher ed, as an issuer, banker, credit analyst and advisor.
“I am delighted to join the Siebert Williams Shank family,” said Ms. Harris. “I have long admired Siebert’s commitment to excellence, commitment to inclusion and values-based leadership, and I am excited to help the firm enter this new chapter. Having seen the inequities pervasive in the business world, I wanted to join a woman-owned firm, after starting my own, to continue to promote greater inclusion in the financial world. I couldn’t ask for a better place to work.”
Ms. Harris has a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard University’s JFK School of Government, a Masters in International Relations from the London School of Economics & Political Science, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois at Champaign.
Ms. Harris previously worked at Public Alternative Advisors, Public Financial Management, Moody’s Investors Service, Goldman Sachs, and the City of Chicago.
Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC (“SWS”) is an independent non-bank financial services firm that offers investment banking, sales and trading, research, and advisory services. SWS provides customized solutions incorporating comprehensive financial advisory, capital raising and risk management guidance with the mission of delivering the highest level of value-added services to our clients. Dually headquartered in New York and Oakland, our firm is comprised of over 125 diverse professionals spanning 19 offices across the United States. SWS serves a broad spectrum of clients, including corporations, governments, municipalities and institutional investors. Building enduring client partnerships through integrity, experience, and results is our priority.
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