Press Release

For Further Information:
Cohen & Company
Sheila Chambliss
2929 Arch Street, 17th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215.701.9631
www.cohenandcompany.com
schambliss@cohenandcompany.com

COHEN & COMPANY´S EMPORIA OPENS NEW OFFICE IN LOS ANGELES
--Adds Origination Capability to Sponsored Lending Platform--

Philadelphia, PA, October 31, 2006 - Cohen   Company, a leading investment management firm, today announced that Emporia Capital Management, the firm’s middle market loan platform and CLO collateral management unit, has opened a new office in Los Angeles, California, effective immediately.

The new office will be led by David G. Ligon, age 43, and Gary I. Kirshner, age 35, who join Emporia as Managing Directors after serving as group heads of the equity sponsored lending team at Union Bank of California. The new Los Angeles office will enhance Emporia’s ability to serve sponsors throughout the United States by adding loan origination capability to Emporia’s existing middle market loan platform.

Chris Ricciardi, Chief Executive Officer of Cohen & Company, said, “We’re excited to be expanding Emporia’s market presence both physically - with a new office on the West Coast - and with the important capability of sponsored loan origination as a complement to our existing middle market finance offerings. In particular, I am pleased to welcome David and Gary to Emporia and Cohen. They and their team have a demonstrated track record of exceeding their clients’ expectations with sponsored lending solutions. We are confident that with access to the Emporia platform and the CDO market as a funding source, they will be able to continue to provide innovative solutions that meet client needs. Similarly, Emporia’s expansion is a validation of its strategy and focus. We are pleased to mark that success with this expansion.”

The Los Angeles office will be a focal point for Emporia’s products, designed to provide financing for middle market growth, buyouts, leveraged buildups, and leveraged recap senior debt financings. As leaders of the office, Messrs. Ligon and Kirshner bring direct middle market origination experience that complements Emporia’s existing strengths in all aspects of middle market lending, including structuring, credit analysis, syndications, deal monitoring and oversight.

Kevin Braddish, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Emporia, said, “The addition of David and Gary’s team should be a win for all of Emporia’s stakeholders, including investors, employees and customers. We will now have the ability to offer reciprocity to our agent relationships. We know David, Gary, and their team well after a long and productive professional relationship and have always been impressed with their diligence, creativity and sponsor relationships. We’re delighted they have joined Emporia and look forward to working with them as we serve both agents and financial sponsors as a strong middle market financial partner.”

Gary Kirshner and David Ligon, Managing Directors of Emporia’s Los Angeles office, added, “We are excited to join Cohen & Company, one of the most well respected asset management firms in the country. Cohen’s funding strength and creative, entrepreneurial environment will enhance our ability to serve customers with sponsored lending solutions. We look forward to working with everyone at Emporia to build on the success of its strong, middle market lending operations.”

About Cohen & Company

Cohen & Company is a leading investment management firm organized in three divisions: Asset Management, Capital Markets and Investment Banking, and Research. With offices in Philadelphia, New York and Paris, Cohen & Company‘s team of over 100 employees serves a diverse international network of institutional and individual clients. For more information about Cohen & Company, we encourage you to visit www.cohenandcompany.com.

Media Contacts:

Joseph Kuo or David Lilly
Kekst and Company
212.521.4800

Click here for the Adobe PDF version of this release. (20 kb)