Career moves

Pillar Capital has appointed Stephen A. Velotti Chief Executive Officer effective immediately, the Bermuda-based insurance asset management company said in a press today.

Sallie Mae has appointed Steven McGarry as senior vice president of corporate finance.

The Structured Finance Industry Group has hired Falcon Capital Advisors as well as a consultancy run by Kristi Leo to help it attract new members and pursue its legislative agenda.

Lewtan said today that Miten Amin joins the firm as director of market applications and Youriy Koudinov joins as director of market applications and securitized products research.

The Structured Finance Industry Group’s first executive director hails from an issuer.

Barclays has appointed Adam Yarnold head of US securitized products trading, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Will Howard Davies of PIMCO will serve on the Prime Collateralized Securities (PCS) market committee.

The financial industry advocacy group named former New Hampshire governor and U.S. senator Judd A. Gregg as its next chief executive officer.

Law firm Mayer Brown hired Lawrence Berkovich, a former counsel at Dechert, as a partner in the firm's banking and finance practice.

Cantor Fitzgerald said today it has added four structured credit professionals and is planning expand the business to underwrite new collateralized loan obligations in the U.S. and Europe.

Brent Lewis has joined Hunton & Williams' structured finance and securitization practice as counsel in New York.

The Structured Finance Industry Group’s first executive director comes from the ranks of an issuer: Richard Johns, a managing director and head of global funding and liquidity at Ally Financial.

New Oak Capital on Monday announced its new Mortgage Credit Service business that will be based in Danbury, CT.

Lawrence Ceriello has joined Morrison & Foerster’s real estate finance group in New York as a partner.

Fitch Ratings today announced that Andrew Smitiuch will head its Canadian Business.

Palmer Square Capital Management, an investment management firm that provides portfolios of structured credit, collateralized loan obligations and hedge fund strategies, has added Jeffrey Fox as executive director.