Joseph J. Thomas, CFA Senior Vice President Tel: 202.775.8109 Email: jthomas@hovde.com

Mr. Thomas joined the Hovde Organization in 2006 as Managing Director, Hovde Private Equity Advisors LLC, and Senior Vice President, Hovde Financial.  In the firm’s private equity business, Mr. Thomas is responsible for the sourcing and oversight of investments for the firm’s private equity fund, participation in the day-to-day operations of the fund, and contribution to the analysis of investment opportunities and formulation of business strategies for companies in which the fund invests.  Further, Mr. Thomas serves in a leadership role in the firm’s investment banking practice and offers strategic guidance to financial institution clients on merger and acquisitions and capital raising transactions.

Before joining Hovde, Mr. Thomas most recently worked in public service for one year as the Chief Operating Officer of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC).  FSVC is a not-for-profit, private-public partnership, chaired by Paul Volcker and John Whitehead, with a mission to help build sound banking and financial systems in emerging market countries.  In this capacity, Mr. Thomas was responsible for FSVC offices and client relationships in emerging market countries and he led in-country missions on privatization, mergers and acquisitions, commercial banking development, and risk management. 

Prior to FSVC, Mr. Thomas enjoyed a distinguished 20-year career with Wachovia Corporation.  Mr. Thomas most recently was Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions Investment Banking for Wachovia Securities.  In this role he was responsible for all merger and acquisitions, equity capital markets, private equity, fixed income and corporate banking activities with U.S. banks, asset management firms, insurance companies, and specialty finance clients.  This was a $400 million revenue business comprising 30 banking professionals and over 250 clients.  Mr. Thomas also directed all corporate development and strategic planning activities for Wachovia’s Corporate and Investment Bank following the merger of First Union and Wachovia.  

Over the course of his career at Wachovia, Mr. Thomas held a range of corporate finance, capital markets and investment management positions.  Mr. Thomas was Executive Vice President and Head of Global Corporate Finance, a position in which he developed and launched a bank-wide new initiative to market Wachovia’s advisory and equity capabilities to specific industry sectors.  Mr. Thomas was also previously Group Executive and Head of Debt Capital Markets, and was responsible for investment management and transaction execution of Wachovia’s loan syndications, securitization, leasing, and debt private placement businesses.
Mr. Thomas holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia.  In addition, Mr. Thomas is a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the CFA Society of Washington, DC.  He is licensed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority as a Securities Principal and a Registered Representative. 

Mr. Thomas serves on the board of directors of Kinloch Holdings, Inc., a regional insurance brokerage company based in New York. He is also President of the Board of Trustees of the College of Arts and Sciences Benefactor Society at the University of Virginia.  In addition, Mr. Thomas serves on the Vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and on the Capital Campaign Steering Committee of Saint Stephens and Saint Agnes School.  Mr. Thomas resides in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and three children.