Banco Popular de Puerto Rico is a full-service financial services provider with operations in Puerto Rico, the United States and Virgin Islands. Popular, Inc. is the largest banking institution by both assets and deposits in Puerto Rico, and in the United States Popular, Inc.
Latest NewsAndy Joynt covers energy, industrial, and transportation project finance transactions across North America. As a member of Fitch Ratings� Global Infrastructure and Project Finance Group, Mr. Joynt assesses credit risk for both privately-held projects and public-private partnerships and has published rating criteria, rating reports and outlook related to the project finance industry. Mr. Joynt joined Fitch in 2011 and earned a BA in economics from Vanderbilt University.
In addition to his executive duties, he is charged with management of some of the firm�s largest and most complex municipal clients, having served as financial advisor on the issuance of over $1 billion in municipal debt for issuers such as the Camrosa Water District, Rowland Water District, and the cities of Oakland, San Ramon, Lake Elsinore, National City, South Pasadena, Commerce, Santa Ana and Azusa.� Additionally, Mr. Busch is currently the lead financial advisor assisting the City of San Bernardino through chapter 9.�Mr. Busch began his career in municipal management, ultimately rising to the role of Assistant City Manager. Mr. Busch�s municipal career consisted primarily of assistant/deputy city manager, finance, and project manager positions.� Mr. Busch is a leading expert in areas public finance, debt restructuring and capital markets.� He has also served as the President of the Municipal Management Association of Southern California (MMASC), Chair of Cal-ICMA and is currently the Treasurer of the California Utility Executive Management Association (CUEMA).�Education: Mr. Busch earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in Urban and Regional Planning.� In addition, Mr. Busch has earned a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from California State University Long Beach with an emphasis in public finance and public works.��
Barbara Spoonhour, Director of Energy and Environmental Programs, has been with WRCOG since 2001.� Ms. Spoonhour has over 10 years� experience in local government and over 15 years in implementing environmental programs.� Ms. Spoonhour oversees the energy efficiency and water conservation program for Western Riverside County, referred to as HERO.� The HERO program expanded statewide in 2014 and currently has over $1 billion in approved projects.� In addition, Ms. Spoonhour oversees the Western Riverside Energy Leader Partnership, which is a public-private partnership with Southern California Edison that promotes jurisdictional leadership for the promotion of energy efficiency.In 2006, Ms. Spoonhour wrote and was awarded a California Integrated Waste Management Board grant to construct as well as of one of the first inland waterways boater outreach and used oil collection site in California.� Many of the Programs that Ms. Spoonhour oversees are state funded and have extensive tracking and reporting requirements.� Ms. Spoonhour has successfully doubled the number of jurisdictional participants in the Clean Cities Coalition, expanded an elementary school recycling outreach program, and increased participation in the Clean Cities Coalition�s annual event. �
Garrett is a Vice President and a Senior Municipal Research Analyst for the Hartford Investment Management Company (HIMCO). Before joining HIMCO in 2006, Garrett was with Wellington Management Company in Boston and London. His prior roles in the municipal bond industry were with Fidelity Investments, MuniAuction and Samuel A. Ramirez and Co.� Garrett earned his BA in Economics and Political Science from Bucknell University and is a member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts and the Boston Municipal Analysts Forum.
Deena McClain has supported the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum Authority in various capacities during the past eighteen years. She has served as administrator, legal counsel and acting executive director for the Authority which manages O.co Coliseum and Oracle Arena on behalf of the City of Oakland and the County of Alameda. After receiving a JD degree from UC Davis Law School in 1978, she worked as an associate at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe and a partner at Morrison & Foerster in municipal bond and related disciplines.
Assemblymember Joan Buchanan, elected to the State Assembly in November 2008, represents the 16th Assembly District, which includes portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties and the communities of Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek.Assemblymember Buchanan is the Chairwoman of the Assembly Education Committee bringing a deep understanding of educational issues gained during her 18 years of service on the San Ramon Valley School Board, including four terms as board president. Education has been a lifelong priority for Joan. She understands that for California�s economy to thrive in the future, we must invest in a strong public education system, including a focus on instilling strong fundamentals in early grades. Through her service on the State Allocation Board, Joan works to maximize the state�s investment in safe and up-to-date school facilities for all students.Since being elected to the Assembly, Joan has focused on working with local leaders to solve problems. This session, Joan�s legislative package focuses largely on education issues, including a package of three bills dealing with teacher evaluation, discipline and dismissal, as well as mandated reporting. In the areas of educational facilities funding, she has co-authored a bill that will put safeguards on the sale of Capital Appreciation Bonds. She has also introduced The Pink Plate Bill to create a specialized license plate promoting breast cancer awareness and prevention.In 2012, Joan led the Assembly�s review of the Governor�s Reorganization Plan successfully fighting for significant changes in the plan including technology acquisition, maintaining the independence of the California Transportation Commission and the Delta Stewardship Council, and retaining an Advisory Commission on Boating and Waterways.Since 2008, Joan has pursued a legislative agenda focused on fiscal accountability, technology and innovation, and job creation. She has been a proponent of performance based budgeting, using data to drive decision-making and the allocation of resources. She has authored several bills to improve the development and acquisition of information technology by the State of California, recognizing that technology is critical to providing timely and cost-effective services and information to the residents of California.In addition to chairing the Assembly Education Committee, she serves on the standing committees of Utilities & Commerce, Transportation and Accountability & Administrative Review. In 2009, she was appointed, by the Speaker, to the Special Education Commission and in 2010 to the Court Technology Advisory Committee and the State Allocations Board. She also chairs the Select Committee on Government Efficiency, Technology, and Innovation and serves on the Select Committee on Gun Violence in the East Bay.� In 2013, she was appointed by the Speaker, to represent California on the Education Committee of the Council of State Governments.Joan honed her financial and analytical skills at Delta Dental, becoming one of the fastest rising women in the company and Director of Commercial Operations before the age of 30. She left the private sector to raise her five children and in the process became one of the San Ramon Valley�s most effective community activists.Joan is a 30 year resident of Alamo, CA and a native Californian. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Gerald Mayfield is Senior Counsel in the Wells Fargo Law Department and located in Charlotte, North Carolina.� Gerry provides legal support to the Wells Fargo Securities Government & Institutional Banking Capital Markets group and Wells Fargo on all municipal securities related matters. Gerry is a graduate of Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia and Temple School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Christine Pihl, Managing Director, is based in Seattle and has 30 years of experience in municipal finance throughout the West and around the nation.� Christine’s experience includes the two most recent municipal securitization financings ($1.1 billion) for the Utility Debt Securitization Authority (LIPA), the largest tax-exempt electric prepay ($514 million) for the Southern California Public Power Authority’s Windy Point Project as well as financings for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, SCPPA’s Mead Adelanto/Mead-Phoenix Project and the Eugene Water and Electric Board. ��Christine also has worked with a wide range of general municipal clients including the City of Tacoma, Tacoma Public Schools, King County and the State of Washington.Christine began her career in public finance as an analyst for Lehman Brothers in New York. Christine holds the following licenses: Series 7, 24, 52, 53, 63 and 79. Christine has a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an M.B.A. from the University of Washington.
Chris Amantea serves as the managing partner of the Squire Patton Boggs Los Angeles office. He focuses his practice on environmental, transactional and judicial proceedings as well as products liability, class action and other complex litigation. He has successfully represented clients in matters involving hazardous substances, air and water quality, land use, toxic torts and other environmental matters, including state and federal Superfund liability, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting and compliance issues, California's Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act (Proposition 65) and hazardous waste regulatory issues.Chris� trial experience includes matters in both state and federal courts. He has argued several cases before the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit including a case that was argued before an en banc panel of the court. He also has extensive experience in resolving environmental matters through mediation and arbitration proceedings, and working with various state and local environmental agencies.Chris is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Litigation and Environment, Energy and Resources Sections of the American Bar Association. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and a member of the Disability Rights Legal Center�s Board of Directors.Chris has authored numerous articles on environmental and energy issues. He is also a national contributing author for the environmental chapters of Thomson-West�s Business Law Deskbook series including the California Business Law Deskbook. Chris was recently quoted by Law360 on the Toxic Substances Control Act in �Environmental Regulation To Watch In 2013� and �Calif.�s New Green Chemistry Draft Won�t Ease Cos.� Concerns.� He is recognized in Chambers USA and The Best Lawyers in America for his environmental work.
As a Managing Director and Regional Investment Executive for U.S. Trust, Jim leads a team providing investment management services to institutional philanthropic prospects and clients, developing portfolio strategies through development of investment policy, portfolio construction, implementation, and risk management.� Jim also directly manages the investment activity of several large institutional and family relationships. He serves as the Chairman of the Bank of America Proxy Committee, a sub-committee of the Fiduciary Investment Committee of the Bank.Previously, Jim was a Regional Investment Executive responsible for the oversight the investment management activities of the Private Bank in the Greater Tri-State Region of U.S. Trust, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Upstate New York and Delaware.� He led of team of investment professionals managing over $8 billion in assets for high net worth individuals, families, and institutions.Jim has held various roles at U.S. Trust and its predecessor firms, including Investment Team Leader for UNY and Market Executive for Western New York. �Jim joined Bank of America in 2002 as a Portfolio Manager in Private Advisory Services.� Prior to that, he held similar positions at HSBC & M&T Bank.�He received his MBA from Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, where he currently serves on the Wehle School of Business Advisory Council. He received his BA in Business Administration at the State University College at Buffalo and an Associate Degree in Banking from Hilbert College. He has participated in a number of executive education programs focused on portfolio management and investments including programs at Stanford University, the Wharton School of Business, and the American Bankers Association.In addition to serving on the Business Advisory Council at Canisius College, he serves as a director to the Buffalo Renaissance Foundation, is seated on the Hilbert College Board of Trustees, and is a member of the Economic Club of New York.�






