Press Release

December 21, 2007

RAYMOND JAMES FINANCIAL FILES PROXY MATERIALS
FOR ANNUAL MEETING, ANNOUNCES TWO NEW NOMINEES
FOR ELECTION TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James Financial (NYSE-RJF) today filed preliminary proxy materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its February 14 annual meeting. At the shareholders’ meeting, eleven directors will be voted on, including two new nominees whose names were announced today.

Shelley G. Broader, 43, is president and CEO of Sweetbay Supermarket (formerly Kash n’ Karry), a Tampa-based chain of more than 100 retail stores with over $1 billion in annual sales. Prior to her position with Sweetbay, Ms. Broader held positions of increasing management responsibility at Hannaford Bros. Co. in the New England region, culminating in Senior Vice President, Business Strategy, Marketing and Communications.

A native of Spokane, Wash., Ms. Broader graduated from Washington State University and began her career in investment banking. Her financial services industry experience includes positions at Massachusetts Financial Services Company and First Albany Corporation.

Among her many community activities, Ms. Broader currently serves on the board of advisors at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the board of directors of the United Way of Tampa Bay, the Pinellas Education Foundation and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce, and is also a trustee at St. Leo University.

Joining Ms. Broader as a nominee is Susan N. Story, 47, president and CEO of Gulf Power Company, a subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the largest producers of electricity in the United States. Gulf Power Co. is headquartered in Pensacola, Fla., and serves customers in the northwest part of the state.

A graduate of Auburn University and the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Ms. Story joined the Southern Company in 1982 as a nuclear power plant engineer and has served in a number of senior management positions in engineering, construction services and supply chain management.

Currently serving as chair of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Story also has leadership roles with several community and business organizations throughout the state, including the Florida Council of 100, Enterprise Florida, Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, the James Madison Institute, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Community Maritime Park and the Florida Justice Reform Institute.

“I am delighted to announce the nomination of these two outstanding business leaders to the Raymond James Financial board,” said Chairman and CEO Thomas A. James. “Their depth of experience at both the corporate and statewide community level is exceptional. They will bring valuable diversity to the board with proven credentials in management, operations, marketing and distribution, and I look forward to drawing upon their collective insights and experience.”

About Raymond James Financial

Raymond James Financial (NYSE-RJF) is a Florida-based diversified holding company providing financial services to individuals, corporations and municipalities through its subsidiary companies. Its three principal wholly owned broker/dealers, Raymond James & Associates, Raymond James Financial Services and Raymond James Ltd. have more than 4,750 financial advisors serving 1.6 million accounts in 2,200 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. In addition, total client assets are approximately $221 billion, of which approximately $38 billion are managed by the firm’s asset management subsidiaries.

To the extent that Raymond James makes or publishes forward-looking statements (regarding management expectations, strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated expense savings, financial results, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory proceedings, and other similar matters), a variety of factors, many of which are beyond Raymond James’ control, could cause actual results and experiences to differ materially from the expectations and objectives expressed in these statements. These factors are described in Raymond James’ 2006 annual report on Form 10-K, which is available on raymondjames.com and sec.gov.

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For additional information, please contact Anthea Penrose at 727-567-5283.

Please visit the Raymond James Press Center at raymondjames.com/media.