Hilltop expands in Florida, Minnesota

HilltopSecurities has hired two key financial services leaders from Piper Sandler for its public finance division in Florida and Minnesota.

John Pellicci, former managing director at Piper Sandler, will serve as senior managing director, head of municipal high yield underwriting and sales at Hilltop. Yaffa Rattner, also formerly managing director at Piper Sandler, joined Hilltop as managing director, head of municipal credit in the firm’s public finance division.

The two bring a combined 67 years of financial services experience to Hilltop’s team and will report to Todd Bleakney, senior managing director, co-head of debt capital markets.

“They are both seasoned professionals and will only enhance our ability to serve our clients,” said Bleakney. “I look forward to working with them.”

“With the addition of Yaffa and John, we continue to strengthen our capital markets effort across our platform,” said Mike Bartolotta, executive managing director and co-head of public finance/debt capital markets at Hilltop.

Pellicci, in financial services for 35 years, was managing director at Piper Sandler.

“HilltopSecurities continues to add depth to its high-yield municipal platform,” Pellicci said. “My experience, talents, and abilities are a great fit. I look forward to contributing to the firm.”

Pellicci earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Rattner joins Hilltop’s Boca Raton office bringing nearly three decades of experience in the high-yield sector, including senior living, charter schools, and special districts.

Rattner notched 13 years as managing director, head of municipal credit at Piper Sandler and 12 years at Moody’s Investors Service. She also spent several years as a banker focusing on fiscally challenged credits and head of surveillance for a former bond insurer.

Rattner said she anticipates working with Hilltop “to create uniquely tailored, well executed capital solutions for its issuer and investor clients.”

Rattner earned a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College of Columbia University and a master’s degree with a concentration in public finance from Columbia University.

Based in Dallas, HilltopSecurities has rapidly expanded since its creation in 2018 through the merger of First Southwest Co. and Southwest Securities.