Press Release: Avondale Partners LLC
November 6, 2001
NASHVILLE, TN -- Denise Wilder Warren, former Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Gaylord Entertainment
Company, has joined Avondale as a Partner and Director of Research. Prior to her tenure at Gaylord Entertainment,
Warren was Director and Senior Industry Analyst covering the Lodging, Timeshare and Gaming industries at Merrill
Lynch in New York City, where she was named to the prestigious Institutional Investor All America Research Team,
as well as to the Wall Street Journal All-Star Analyst Team. Previously, she served as a financial analyst at Credit
Suisse First Boston and as assistant treasurer at Ford Capital, Ltd.
Commenting on the announcement, Pat Shepherd, Chief Administrative Officer of Avondale, said, ``We are delighted
to have a person with Denise's background and experience join our firm. Since organizing Avondale Partners this
past summer, our goal has been to build a top-quality research department to complement our experienced investment
banking and equity sales and trading groups. As an Institutional Investor All American analyst at Merrill Lynch,
Denise has achieved one of the highest industry recognitions for her work. We are confident of the value she brings
to Avondale Partners, and we look forward to her guiding our research effort. Other key research analysts already
on board include Sean Jackson, who covers internet security and network management; Amy Greene, who covers the
restaurant and food service industry; and Matt Hull and Jenny Hubbard, who will be launching their own industry
coverages early next year.''
Warren remarked, ``I am excited to be joining Avondale Partners. We are a firm dedicated to providing corporate
and institutional customers a high degree of expertise through long-term, in-depth relationships. Our goal is to
develop one of the financial industry's best research capabilities in a number of selected industries, which we
expect will help drive the success of our other businesses. With the degree of upheaval currently in the investment
banking community, now is an opportune time to be searching for experienced, high quality individuals to add to
our Research Group.''
Warren earned a Masters degree in Business Administration at Harvard University and a Bachelor of Science degree
in Economics at Southern Methodist University, where she graduated summa cum laude and was Phi Beta Kappa. Warren
was also selected as Financial Executive of the Year by AOC and The Institute of Management Accountants for her
work as Chief Financial Officer of Gaylord Entertainment.
Organized in June 2001 and headquartered in Nashville, Avondale Partners provides investment banking services to
growth companies throughout the U.S. Its founders include former senior partners and management from SunTrust Equitable
Securities and J.C. Bradford & Co. Avondale's services are focused on investment banking, including public
equity offerings, private placements, mezzanine debt, advisory services, and mergers and acquisitions; equity sales
and trading; and equity research, primarily focused on corporations in Technology, Business Services, Health Care,
Education, and Consumer Services, including the Food, Beverage and Restaurant industries.
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Contact:
Avondale Partners LLC, Nashville
R. Patrick Shepherd
pshepherd@avondalepartnersllc.com
615/986-3525