Resume for Joy A. Howard, Principal of WM Financial Strategies

Career Summary and Background

Joy A. Howard, Certified Independent Public Finance Advisor, has a career devoted entirely to public finance. Previous employment began in 1976 as a municipal bond analyst at Miller & Schroeder Financial, Inc.  She later became an Assistant Vice President at Centerre Bank (now Bank of America) and, prior to establishing WM Financial Strategies, was a Vice President with a major St. Louis regional investment bank.  Ms. Howard's experience includes capital planning and analysis, statistical research for comprehensive annual financial statements, continuing disclosure services, bond defeasance, tax increment planning and analysis, project planning, tax and revenue studies, and financial management services. Ms. Howard's bond experience includes general obligation bonds, lease revenue bonds, certificates of participation, debt certificates, Illinois alternate bonds and other "double barrel" bonds, water revenue bonds, sewer revenue bonds, electric revenue bonds, tax increment financing bonds, advance refunding bonds, neighborhood improvement district bonds, community improvement district bonds, transportation corporation bonds, transportation development district bonds, various types of special assessment bonds, and tax and revenue anticipation notes. Ms. Howard has completed debt issues totaling nearly one billion dollars including several innovative first time financings such as a privatization of an Illinois municipal sewer system, the first rated lease financing in Missouri and the first publicly sold tax increment bond issue in Missouri. She was a pioneer in the use of advance refunding and leasehold revenue bonds in Missouri and alternate bonds in Illinois. 

As a proponent of competitive bond sales, she has developed methods to bring competition to negotiated bond sales when competitive bidding is not feasible. As an experienced computer programmer, she has developed mathematical models for obtaining solutions to complex municipal financings.

Speaking and Public Appearances

	Bloomberg Television - Competitive vs. Negotiated Bond Sales
	Bond Buyer's 2007 North Central Municipal Finance Forum - Competitive vs Negotiated Bond Sales
	Government Finance Officers Association - SEC Disclosure Rules
	Illinois Municipal Treasurers Associations' 2007 Annual Conference - Competitive Bond Sales - A Method of Saving Taxpayers Money
	Illinois Municipal Treasurers Associations' 2007 Institute - Bond Sales Methods - Beyond the Basics
	Illinois Redevelopment Official's Organization - Tax Increment Financing
	Illinois State University at Normal - Privatization
	Missouri County Treasurers' Association - Cash Flow Financing
	Missouri Government Finance Officers and Treasurers' Association - Competitive Bond Sales - A Method of Saving Taxpayers Money
	Missouri Government Finance Officers and Treasurers' Association - Choosing and Using Financial Advisors
	Missouri Government Finance Officers and Treasurers' Association - Recent Trends in Municipal Finance
	Missouri Association of School Business Officials -  Tax Increment Financing
	Missouri Government Finance Officers and Treasurers' Association - Municipal Bonds - Beyond the Basics
	Missouri Association of School Board Officials - Tax Increment Financing
	Missouri Association of School Board Officials - Advance Refunding
	Missouri Association of School Board Officials - Competitive Bonds Sales - A Method of Saving or Bad Idea
	Missouri Tax Increment Financing Association - TIF Administration
	Missouri Association of Firefighters - Alternative Financing Methods
	National Association of Redevelopment Official's Organization - Tax Increment Financing
	Southern Illinois Mayor's Association - Tax Increment Financing
	Southwestern Illinois Regional Planning Commission - Tax Increment Financing
	St. Louis County Municipal League - Bonds and Other Mysteries
	State of Illinois Department of Economic Development, Commerce and Community Affairs - Tax Increment Financing
	University of Missouri Government Extension Program - Cash Flow Financing

Memberships

	Missouri Municipal League
	Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association
	Government Finance Officers Association
	Missouri Association of School Board Officials
	Illinois Government Finance Officers Association
	Missouri Government Finance Officers Association
	Illinois Downstate Government Finance Officers Association
	National Association of Independent Public Finance Advisors

Education

Ms. Howard is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Economic Development and completed several graduate courses in business administration at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.