Mark Yates
Managing Director - Rice Financial Products Company

Mark Yates joined Rice Financial Products Company’s Memphis office in 2007.  He brings the firm 23 years of experience in the financial services industry.

Mr. Yates joined the firm from First Horizon National Corporation, where he performed several roles as a senior vice president, including managing the corporation’s capital raising efforts through the sale of whole loans and securitizing home equity lines of credit.  In an earlier position with FHN, Mr. Yates managed the corporation’s equity and debt communications with equity analysts, institutional investors and rating agencies.  He also coordinated all quarterly communications, conference calls, earnings releases, 10-Q’s and annual reports for the company.  On a day-to-day basis he was responsible for monitoring all trading statistics in FHN’s stock on the NYSE, including short positions, exercised options and matching trades of major institutional buyers and sellers. 

In another role at FHN, Mr. Yates worked in the Financial Capital Markets Division.  His duties there included managing the underwriting of fixed income securities for major municipalities nationwide.  Over his career, Mr. Yates has raised over $1 billion for municipal clients.  His clients have included the Memphis and Shelby County Public Building Authority, where he acted as financial advisor to coordinate the $275 million financing of the FedEx Forum.  Additionally, he worked on the finance team that brought AutoZone Park’s financing to market.  His comprehensive expertise in public finance covers the full landscape of public benefit projects, including airports, general obligation bonds, housing, project finance, utilities, arenas and stadiums. 

Prior to joining FTN Financial Capital Markets, Mr. Yates was an investment banker at Morgan Keegan & Company in Memphis. 

Mr. Yates has also served as Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Harold Ford, Jr.  In that role, he was responsible for managing both Capitol Hill and district offices, developing tactical and strategic political and policy initiatives, and coordinating congressional events.  He also served as Chairman of the Shelby County Democratic Party.  Prior to his post in the House, Mr. Yates spent 12 years in the commercial banking division of First Tennessee Bank. 

Mr. Yates holds a bachelor’s degree in economics with a finance specialization from Howard University and an executive management of business degree from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University.

Mr. Yates currently holds both general and principal securities licenses.

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