Canaccord Adams today announced the continued expansion of the firm’s energy practice with the hiring of Curtis Trimble as vice president and equity research analyst and Bill Cruise as senior associate. The team is based in Canaccord Adams’ Houston office, where they will focus coverage on small- to mid-cap companies in the oil field services sector.

“The new hires represent a continuation of our plan to have a top U.S.-based energy team as part of our global commitment to covering this sector,” said Eric Prouty, U.S. director of research. “We welcome Curtis and Bill to our growing team.”

Prior to joining Canaccord Adams, Trimble served as senior vice president at Sterne, Agee & Leach, specializing in research on oil and natural gas exploration and production companies. He was ranked number 4 in 2005 by The Wall Street Journal’s “Best on the Street” for his coverage of oil field services companies and was rated number 4 in the 2004 Forbes/Starmine overall ranking of best stock pickers. Previous research experience includes time at Ferris, Baker Watts, also covering the energy sector. Prior to his work in research, Curtis was an equity salesperson at both Ferris, Baker Watts and Frost Securities. Trimble holds an MBA from Rice University and a BA from Swarthmore College. He is Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 licensed.

Cruise joins Canaccord Adams as a senior associate from Sterne, Agee & Leach where he had been working with Trimble to build out the energy franchise. He holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a BBA from The University of Texas at Austin. He is Series 7 and 63 licensed and a CFA Level II candidate.

Canaccord Adams has been expanding its Houston energy practice and opened its office there this past spring. Earlier this year, the firm hired veteran energy analyst Irene Haas to cover companies in the oil exploration and production sector.

ABOUT CANACCORD ADAMS:

Canaccord Adams is a leading independent financial services firm committed to fostering the entrepreneurial economy by bringing corporate and institutional clients unique perspective on global investment opportunities. With operations in research, sales and trading and investment banking, our 225 professionals seek out emerging opportunities in our key sectors - Mining and Metals, Energy, Technology, Life Sciences, Real Estate and Industrial Growth. Located in nine offices internationally, our experienced team generates focused, actionable ideas that identify opportunity and facilitate growth. Canaccord Adams, the international capital markets division of Canaccord Capital Inc., has operations in Toronto, London, Boston, Vancouver, New York, Calgary, Montreal, San Francisco and Houston.

Canaccord Adams Limited is regulated and authorized by the Financial Services Authority and is a member of the LSE.

Canaccord Adams is a division of Canaccord Capital Corporation, Member IDA/CIPF.

ABOUT CANACCORD CAPITAL INC.

Through its principal subsidiaries, Canaccord Capital Inc. (TSX & AIM: CCI) is a leading independent, full-service investment dealer in Canada with capital markets operations in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Canaccord is publicly traded on both the Toronto Stock Exchange and AIM, a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. Canaccord has operations in two of the principal segments of the securities industry: private client services and capital markets. Together, these operations offer a wide range of complementary investment products, brokerage services and investment banking services to Canaccord’s private, institutional and corporate clients. Canaccord has approximately 1,550 employees worldwide in 30 offices, including 23 Private Client Services offices located across Canada. Canaccord Adams, the international capital markets division, has operations in Toronto, London, Boston, Vancouver, New York, Calgary, Montreal, San Francisco and Houston.

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