Raymond James continues rapid growth of its Healthcare Investment Banking practice, hiring three additional senior bankers

Healthcare team has added 11 senior bankers over eight months

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Raymond James is continuing to invest in and expand the capabilities of its Healthcare Investment Banking practice by adding Managing Directors George “Bo” Hinton and McNeill Wester as well as Director Tim VanBenthuysen to its growing team. With the hiring of Hinton, Wester and VanBenthuysen, the Healthcare Investment Banking practice has added 11 senior bankers since August 2022, marking a significant expansion as the firm continues to build a highly specialized, sector-focused healthcare practice that provides deep insights into the overall industry landscape.

Hinton and Wester, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, specialize in advising multisite healthcare services companies, with particular expertise in physician services and behavioral health. They have executed over 100 mergers and acquisitions transactions in their area of expertise, working with both owner-operators and private equity-owned businesses.

“Raymond James is deeply committed to building an industry-leading healthcare practice that delivers insight and actionable ideas to the private equity community and provides valuable advice to companies in the healthcare ecosystem, which includes healthcare services, healthcare technology as well as life sciences,” said Doug Brown, senior managing director and head of Healthcare Investment Banking. “Bo, McNeill and Tim are deeply experienced and highly regarded professionals with a wealth of transaction experience to draw from. Our clients will quickly value their sector expertise to aid in identifying new investment opportunities related to physician services, behavioral health and other areas of multi-site healthcare services.”

Through this latest expansion, the Healthcare Investment Banking practice now has more than 20 senior coverage officers and 10 global offices providing comprehensive industry sector expertise.

Hinton has approximately 25 years of experience in the investment banking and private equity industry and was a founder of Coker Capital Advisors, which was acquired by Fifth Third Securities in 2018. Hinton spent 14 years with Coker and prior to founding the firm worked at Carousel Capital as a private equity investor. He received an undergraduate degree in economics modified from Dartmouth College.

Wester also joins Raymond James from Coker Capital where he was a partner and later group head. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the investment banking and legal fields. Before his 10 years at Coker Capital, Wester was with Bourne Partners, Fennebresque & Co. and McColl Partners. Prior to that, he was a practicing attorney for five years at Moore & Van Allen. Wester holds undergraduate degrees in political science and psychology and a Juris Doctorate, all from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

VanBenthuysen has more than 12 years of investment banking experience. Joining from Coker Capital, where he began his career, his experience executing middle-market M&A transactions covers a broad range of sectors within the healthcare services industry. VanBenthuysen received an undergraduate degree in economics and commerce from Hampden-Sydney College and is based in Atlanta.

“We are very excited about these most recent additions of Bo, McNeill and Tim to our growing healthcare investment banking business and remain focused on deepening and expanding our healthcare industry expertise to deliver the insights and results that our client base expects,” said Jim Bunn, president of Global Equities and Investment Banking. “This significant investment in a $4 trillion industry reflects our focus on providing the sector-specialization capabilities our healthcare clients need and depend on to grow their businesses and seek opportunity to make new investments.”

About Raymond James Investment Banking

Raymond James offers one of the most highly regarded equity offering and advisory practices. Since 2017, we have participated in raising nearly $180 billion in capital for our U.S. corporate clients and completed more than 1,100 M&A and other strategic advisory assignments, including approximately 950 M&A advisory assignments. Put the expertise, quality and experience of Raymond James to work for you.Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC.

About Raymond James Financial, Inc.

Raymond James Financial, Inc., (NYSE: RJF) is a leading diversified financial services company providing private client group, capital markets, asset management, banking and other services to individuals, corporations and municipalities. The company has approximately 8,700 financial advisors. Total client assets are $1.22 trillion. Public since 1983, the firm is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol RJF. Additional information is available at raymondjames.com.