Robert joined MacKay Shields in July 2009 when the firm acquired the assets of Mariner Municipal Managers LLC. He was the President and co-founder of Mariner Municipal Managers from 2007 to 2009. He has been a municipal portfolio manager since 1992, with a broad range of trading and portfolio management experience in the municipal markets. Robert was a Managing Director and Co-Head of BlackRock’s Municipal Portfolio Management Group (from 2006 to 2007). Prior to BlackRock’s merger with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, he served as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of the Municipal Products Group. He was employed by Merrill Lynch from 1993 to 2006. Robert is a member of the firm’s Senior Leadership Team. He earned his Master’s degree at Rutgers University Business School and an undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Scott is a Senior Managing Director. He is joined MacKay Shields in 2009. Before joining the firm he was Head Trader, Fixed Income, at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company. Scott was previously with Dreyfus Corporation and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers as a Municipal Bond Portfolio Manager/Trader. He has a BSBA from Villanova University. Scott has been in the investment management industry since 1991.

Frances joined MacKay Shields in July 2009 and is currently a Senior Managing Director. Before joining the firm she was Director of Research for Mariner Municipal Managers and was previously at Merrill Lynch. Frances began her municipal analyst career in 1991 at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers where she was a Senior Fund Analyst covering various sectors of the municipal market, becoming a Director in the Municipal Research Group in 1997. Frances earned an MBA in Finance from Boston University and a BS in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Denlinger joined MacKay Shields in 2019 and is currently a Director. Before joining the firm he was an institutional municipal credit trader at Bank of America Merrill Lynch with a primary focus on taxable and healthcare securities. Prior to trading credit, he was a high-grade municipal trader. Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2014. He is a CFA Charterholder. He has been in the financial services industry since 2014.

Michael is a trader and Portfolio Manager on the municipal bond team focused on high yield. Michael joined MacKay Shields in 2023. Before joining the firm he was a portfolio manager and trader on the municipal mutual fund desk at BlackRock focusing on both high yield and investment grade municipal bonds. From 2011-2014, he was a trader on the municipal separately managed account desk. Michael earned a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from The College of New Jersey in 2007. He is a CFA Charterholder. He has been in the financial services industry since 2008.