Christopher J. Williams, Chairman & CEO of Williams Capital Group, L.P., is Elected to Securities Industry Association - SIA - Board of Directors.

Business Editors

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2003

Christopher J. Williams is one of the securities industry executives elected today to the board of directors of the Securities Industry Association (SIA) to serve a three-year term ending December 2006.

"I welcome both the opportunities and challenges and look forward to working with the Board of the Securities Industry Association to accomplish the objectives of the association," said Christopher Williams, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of The Williams Capital Group, L.P.

Mr. Williams' name was submitted to the 32-member board by a Nominating Committee made up of retiring board members. Member-firms voted for the directors at the association's annual meeting, which began Wednesday, November 5 and ends today.

Mr. Williams is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Williams Capital Group, L.P., and Williams Capital Management, LLC. He has been instrumental in directing Williams Capital into investment banking. In its 10-year history the company has ranked among the top 20 underwriters of U.S. investment grade corporate debt in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

Mr. Williams' career includes nine years of experience with Lehman Brothers in New York where he was senior vice president responsible for the origination and trading of structured fixed income securities. In addition, Mr. Williams has worked extensively in the areas of private placements and corporate finance. Following his tenure at Lehman Brothers, Chris Williams formed Williams Financial Markets, which was a division of Jefferies & Company, Inc. that specialized in structured debt financings for corporate borrowers.

SIA board members work together to formulate policies and complete initiatives that have both short- and long-term implications for securities firms, investors, and the financial marketplace. "Each board member contributes actively to accomplishing the industry's strategic goals, the most important being the enhancement of the public's trust and confidence in capital markets," said Richard Thornburgh, 2004 chairman of SIA's board and Chief Risk Officer, Credit Suisse Group. "We look forward to Christopher Williams' contributions to our efforts."

For more information on Williams Capital Group, please contact Paramjit Mahli at [phone] or [e-mail], or visit company website: www.willcap.com.

For more information on the Securities Industry Association, please contact Joan Christian at (202)-216-2038 or [e-mail], or visit association website: www.sia.com.