Texas Public Finance

Josh McLaughlin has over 20 years of experience within the municipal finance industry and is dedicated to supporting the financing needs of Texas municipal issuers. As the firm’s Specialized Texas Municipal Finance Team leader, he has completed over $30 billion of financings for Texas municipal issuers over the last five years as a bond underwriter or financial advisor. McLaughlin previously served as a vice president with a national firm serving as a member of their Texas municipal finance banking team and Municipal Products Group.

As a managing director and director of Texas Public Finance, McLaughlin’s responsibilities include overseeing BOK Financial Securities, Inc.’s (BOKFS) public finance activities throughout Texas and providing investment banking services to Texas municipal issuers. McLaughlin has implemented numerous financial strategies for Texas municipal issuers, including taxable and tax-exempt fixed and variable rate debt, note programs, an array of financial products, and debt alternatives available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to name a few. In addition, McLaughlin developed BOKFS’s financial models to verify and forecast Texas school districts’ long-range debt planning and State funding assistance for debt service.

McLaughlin earned a Bachelor of Science in economics with a minor in business administration from Texas A&M University. He is a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registered representative, currently holding Series 7, 50, 53, 54, 63, and 79 licenses.

Lindsay Evans recently joined BOK Financial Securities, Inc. in April 2023 and brings over 16 years of industry experience. Throughout her career, Ms. Evans has experience working with higher education, healthcare and local municipalities as either a Municipal Advisor or Investment Banker. Some of the issuers she has served are Collin County Community College District, Texas Christian University, City of Sugarland and Harris County. She has experience with high-level quantitative and analytical capabilities and years of working with issuers through complex financings

Evans was named one of the Bond Buyer's "Rising Stars" in 2021 and is a National Women in Public Finance Board Member. Ms. Evans is a FINRA representative, currently holding Series 7, 52, 50 and 63 licenses.

Alison Long has 15 years of experience working with Texas municipal issuers and has been an integral member of the BOK Financial Securities, Inc. Texas Public Finance Team since joining in June 2009. She provides bond underwriting and municipal advisory services to various types of issuers, including public school districts, cities, counties, state agencies and higher education issuers.

Ms. Long earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree summa cum laude in Finance and a Bachelor of Science with Financial Applications degree summa cum laude in Economics from Southern Methodist University. She is a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registered securities representative, currently holding Series 7, 50, 63 and 79 licenses.

Omar Garcia joined BOK Financial Securities' Texas public finance team in January 2011. Garcia is an icon in Texas public school finance, having spent much of his adult life working in the school finance division at the Texas Education Agency, and later in the statewide school finance arena at the Region XIII Education Service Center.

While employed at the Texas Education Agency (where he worked for over 28 years) in the Division of State Funding, he became an expert on the use of technology to audit and estimate a school district's state aid and anticipated overall revenues, a necessary component to producing annual budgets. This expertise led Garcia to develop one of the first widely used electronic templates to help public school personnel estimate state aid for use in school budgets. Today, this trusted tool is used by every Texas district regardless of wealth or size.

Garcia is a registered securities representative with Series 52 and 63 licenses.

Randy McDowell joined BOK Financial Securities, Inc.’s Texas School District Finance Team in January 2022 and is responsible for bond underwriting engagements and is also the leader of our statewide education initiatives.

Mr. McDowell began his career in July 1992 as an accountant for Canyon ISD. During his 30-year school administrator career, Randy served as Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations for Canyon Independent School District, Chief Financial Officer of Rockwall Independent School District and Chief Financial Officer of Plano Independent School District.

Mr. McDowell is a registered securities representative, currently holding Series 52 and 63 licenses.

Cole DeKinder joined BOK Financial Securities, Inc.’s Texas Municipal Finance Team in January 2018, and provides quantitative support for various municipal issuers throughout Texas.

DeKinder is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, earning a B.S. degree in finance. He is a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registered securities representative, currently holding Series 6, 7, 50, 63 and 79 licenses.

John Robuck is a Managing Director in the Houston Municipal Finance office of BOK Financial Securities, Inc. (BOKFS) with over 24 years of experience. As a Managing Director, Robuck’s responsibilities include providing bond underwriting and financial advisory services to municipal issuers, while playing a major role in the analytical and quantitative analyses performed for various issuers throughout Texas, focusing primarily on school districts, cities, counties and special districts within the greater Houston area. As a highly experienced municipal finance professional, Robuck has participated in the issuance of over $30 billion of municipal securities during his 24 years in the industry. Robuck has implemented numerous financial strategies for Texas municipalities, including the use of taxable and tax-exempt fixed and variable rate debt, note programs, an array of financial products and debt alternatives available under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to name a few.

Robuck joined BOK Financial Securities in January 2012. Previously, Robuck was a vice president with RBC Capital Markets, serving as their Texas Municipal Finance banking team member.

Robuck is Financial Industry Regulatory Authority registered representative, currently holding Series 7, 50, 63 and 65 licenses. Mr. Robuck holds a B.B.A in Finance and Management Information Systems from Baylor University.

Lester Byrd recently joined BOK Financial Securities, Inc. in July 2022 and brings over 12 years of industry experience. Mr. Byrd has worked with numerous school districts, cities, counties, toll road authorities, port authorities, municipal utility districts and tax increment reinvestment zones as either a municipal advisor or investment banker throughout his career.

Mr. Byrd has a high level of quantitative and analytical capabilities and years of experience with numerous complex financings, including establishing and renewing various lines of credit and liquidity facilities, fixed-rate bonds, pension obligation bonds, commercial paper, floating rate notes, letters of credit and private placements.

Mr. Byrd is a veteran with over nine years of service in the United States Marine Corps and is a financial industry regulatory authority registered securities representative, currently holding Series 50, Series 52, Series 53, and Series 63 licenses.

Karen Blogg joined BOK Financial Securities, Inc. Texas Public Finance Team in November 2012. She provides support for the Public Finance team in the Houston and Richardson offices. Ms. Blogg also provides document preparation for various city, county, school and special district clients in Houston and the surrounding areas. Additionally, she manages travel and expenses for the entire team.

Ms. Blogg has over 40 years of industry experience working in Texas Public Finance. Prior to joining BOK Financial Securities, Ms. Blogg worked with RBC Capital Markets in their Public Finance Department.