Cumberland Securities

Mr. Ayres, a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, joined Cumberland in 1982. Over the last 30 years, he has served as an investment banker and financial advisor to municipalities, counties, hospitals, utilities and authorities throughout the Southeast. He specializes in the municipal public finance area and is active in the structuring and sale of both revenue and general obligation issues for the firm. Mr. Ayres has been responsible for structuring over ten (10) billion dollars of financings for many different types of bonds ranging from hospitals, schools, advance refunding, water, sewer, gas, electric, multi-family housing and industrial bonds to complex variable rate student loan financings. Mr. Ayres is a Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative with the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (MSRB) and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mr. Gibson is a graduate of the University of Tennessee with Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Accounting and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Finance and begin his investment banking career in 1995. Mr. Gibson has helped coordinate the preparation of debt financing timetables, municipal financing options, Official Statements and the development of presentations of financial plans and structures for the firm's various bond issues. Mr. Gibson has been involved in the structuring and sale of both revenue and general obligation issues for the firm. He has worked on over a thousand transactions of fixed and variable rate financings for many different types of bonds ranging from schools, hospitals, current and advance refundings, water, sewer, gas, electric, telecom, airports and property tax and sales tax increment financings. He is a Registered Municipal Advisor with the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (MSRB) and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mr. Bessler, a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, joined Cumberland in 1999. During this time, he has been responsible in the structuring and sale of both revenue and general obligation issues for the firm. Mr. Bessler has worked on hundreds of financings for many different types of bonds ranging from hospitals, schools, current and advance refundings, water, sewer, gas, electric, telecom and airports. Mr. Bessler also has extensive experience in the use of various synthetic financing tools. Mr. Bessler is a Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative with the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (MSRB) and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mr. Werner is the former Chief Financial Officer for Knox County. In that capacity he was responsible for Knox County’s financial basis including oversight in its daily operations, central accounting and frequently had the occasion to work with the General Assembly, state constitutional officers and local officials to bring about creative solutions to local finance and affirm the strong financial standing of the county. In addition to Mr. Werner’s role as a financial advisor, he is also involved in performing numerical analysis and technical financial structuring for the firm’s municipal finance clients. Mr. Werner has an undergraduate degree and an MBA in finance from the University of Tennessee. Mr. Werner is a Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative with the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (MSRB) and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).

Mr. Ayres, a graduate of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, joined Cumberland in 2013. As a new member of the Cumberland Securities team, Mr. Ayres assists with preparation of financial reports, preliminary and official statements, and other analytical duties. Mr. Ayres was a 5-year member of the University of Tennessee Volunteer football team, lettering and playing three years as a defensive linemen and tight end. Mr. Ayres is a Qualified Municipal Advisor Representative with the Municipal Securities Rule Making Board (MSRB) and is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC).