Our People
Leigh Ann Biernat, CPA
Executive Vice President, Head of Public Finance
(501) 377-6316
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We provide investment banking, research, sales and trading, asset and wealth management, public finance, insurance, private capital, and family office services.
We are a family-owned financial services firm that values client relationships, long-term stability, and supporting the communities where we live and work.
The idea of family defines our culture, because each of us knows that our reputation is on the line as if our own name was on the door.
Our reputation as a leading independent financial services firm is built on the stability of our longstanding and highly experienced senior executives.
We are committed to bettering the communities where we live and operate. We do this by supporting corporate philanthropy, economic and financial literacy advocacy, and professional success.
Stephens is proud to sponsor the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, and PGA TOUR Champions careers, as well as applaud the philanthropic endeavors, of our Brand Ambassadors.
Stephens is the official investment banking partner of Williams Racing, one of the most winning teams in F1 history. We share that tradition of success.
We host many highly informative meetings each year with clients, industry decision makers, and thought leaders across the U.S. and in Europe.
Stephens can help finance education projects for K-12, colleges, and universities—including facility upgrades, classroom technology, student housing, and resources for teachers and staff.
Stephens can help finance medical facility projects, tech upgrades, and accessibility improvements for hospitals, including single specialty, general acute care, and children’s hospitals.
Stephens can help finance Public Safety projects supporting first responders, including fire, police, EMT services, and correctional facilities, to enhance emergency response and public protection.
Stephens can help finance recreation projects of all sizes—parks, arenas, convention centers, and more—to enhance community life at city, county, and state levels.
Stephens can help finance transportation projects of all sizes—from crosswalks to airports—supporting commerce and community connection through roads, bridges, railways, ports, and more.
Stephens can help finance utility projects—water, sewer, electric, broadband, and more—supporting essential services with a solutions-focused approach to ESG risks for community infrastructure.
Executive Vice President, Head of Public Finance
Ms. Biernat joined the firm as a member of the Public Finance Department in 2015 and works with issuers of taxable and tax-exempt financings as both underwriter and financial advisor. She has 16 years' experience working as senior management in both state and local government, issuing and administering a variety of bonds including housing, industrial development, state facility, higher education, general obligation, tobacco settlement revenue and gross receipts tax bonds. Ms. Biernat is a graduate of the University of Arkansas Little Rock with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She was selected to participate in and successfully completed the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce Leadership Arkansas program, Class IX. Ms. Biernat is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Arkansas. She is also a registered Municipal Advisor Representative, Municipal Securities Representative, Registered Investment Advisor and a registered Uniform State Law Securities Agent.
