A true measure of any organization is the people it employs. Divine Capital’s team members provide experience, expertise, dedication and diversity unlike any other financial services firm. Through a collaborative process, our individual talents are brought together to accomplish one common goal: Helping clients achieve their objectives. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with the Senior Team members of Divine Capital Markets by clicking the member's bio.
Ms. Hughes is the CEO and Founder of Divine Capital Markets LLC. Ms. Hughes founded Divine Capital in 2001 with the intention of aligning her firm's interests with her client's interests, understanding the importance of transparency in the global marketplace along the value chain within the securities industry. Today, Divine is recognized for providing high quality equity and option execution, research and trading strategies, investment banking services, and capital introduction. Divine Capital's clients include leading institutional fund managers, pension plan sponsors, major corporations, family offices and high net worth individuals.
Ms. Hughes began her wall Street career in 1991, and has extensive proven expertise in the areas of proprietary and agency equity trading and investment banking. From 1992 to 1998, Ms. Hughes served as Vice President of Trading at M.H. Meyerson & Co., a large wholesale market making firm, and was responsible for establishing the firm's IPO and Secondary trading desk. Working with the Investment Banking department, Ms. Hughes was responsible for effecting numerous corporate finance transactions for companies listed on NASDAQ NMS, Small Cap and the OTC Bulletin Board. In 2005, Ms. Hughes established Divine Alternative Asset Management.
Ms. Hughes appears regularly on CNBC and is a frequent guest on the FOX News and FOX Business. She is a member of the Women's Presidents Organization and serves on the Deans Advisory Board for the School of Behavioral Sciences at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Ms. Hughes graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She holds the Series 7, 63, 55, 24, 53, 65, 79 and 99 securities licenses.
Stephanie Jackels joined Divine Capital Markets in 2012 after consulting with the firm in 2011. Her prior experience includes consulting with broker/dealers in CFO capacity, and experience working with hedge funds, fund-of-funds and other alternative investment industries, working with a small private accounting firm in Atlanta, and then consulting. She also has Law Enforcement Investigations experience, working with joint agency task forces such as FBI, DEA and ATF. She has volunteer experience as Treasurer for various organizations spanning a period of five years. Ms. Jackels holds a BA in Accounting from Georgia State University, MAFM from Keller University, and holds the Series 27 securities license.
Mr. Aulicino is Managing Director of Investment Banking at Divine Capital. He was most recently Head of Investment Banking for Dawson James Securities where he managed the department’s day to day operations, structured, managed and approved the firm’s many offerings as well as managed communications with all securities regulatory agencies. Over the last twenty-five years, Mr. Aulicino has recapitalized, structured and led equity and debit investments exceeding 2 billion dollars in over 250 small to medium size growth oriented businesses. As Co-founder of Barington Capital, he served as the firms Executive Vice President and Director. His responsibilities ranged from public and private financing transactions to general financial advisory work including M&A, restructuring and recapitalization for a wide scope of companies ranging from Healthcare to Entertainment. Mr. Aulicino has held both management and consulting positions for various NYSE firms such as Robb, Peck, McCooey and Ladenburg Thalmann as well as Directorships in several Public and Private Companies. Mr. Aulicino attended the University of South Florida with a double major in chemistry and psychology and maintains the Series 7, 24, 63.
Mr. Camardo joined Divine Capital Markets in 2010 as a Senior Equity Trader. Mr. Camardo began his career as a floor clerk on the New York Stock Exchange in 1986. Soon after, he joined the upstairs trading desk of W&D Securities as an equity trader. In 1992 he signed on with Rochdale Securities as an equity sales trader where he provided equity trading and execution services to institutional clients for over 17 years. Mr. Camardo brings 23 years of trading experience to Divine Capital Markets
Mr. Camardo is a NASD registered General Securities Representative and holds the Series 7, 63 and 55 securities licenses.
Mr. Dorsi has more than 20 years experience in the financial industry. Throughout the last 15 years he was a market maker trading small cap equities and covering institutional and broker dealer accounts. Mr. Dorsi joined Divine Capital Markets in 2010 as a Senior Equity Trader.
Mr. Dorsi attended City University of New York and holds the Series 24, 7, 63, 55 and 99 securities licenses.
Joe Libretti began his career in 1980 with Able Noser Corporation as a Junior Analyst specializing in fundamental corporate research. Proving his value to the organization, he was invited to develop a trading desk and floor operation. Able Noser Corporation recognized Mr. Libretti’s passion for the trading business and he was appointed Senior Clerk at the New York Stock Exchange to handle the firm’s Institutional Business.
Because of his strong client relationships, Mr. Libretti became a founding partner of Sharpe Securities Inc. in 1992 and was Director of Floor Operations. Sharpe specialized in Canadian Arbitrage and IPO markets. Mr. Libretti was a pioneer in introducing trading platforms directly on clients’ desktops. In 2003, he joined Paris Securities to establish a trading execution business for High Net worth clients. Mr. Libretti joined Divine Capital Markets in 2011 as Senior Institutional Sales Trader.
Mr. Libretti graduated Hunter College in New York City with a BA in Finance and Economics. He holds the Series 7, 63, and 55 licenses.
Mr. Padilla joined Divine Capital Markets in 2011 as a Senior Equity Trader. He has more than 15 years of experience in the financial industry, with a specialty in the Canadian marketplace. Mr. Padilla started his career in 1995 working for Legg Mason Wood Walker and in 2000, he joined Magna Securities, a MWBE registered firm.
Mr. Padilla comes to Divine with an extensive trading background in Basic Materials. He holds the series 7, 63, and 55 securities licenses.
Mr. Charest joined Divine Capital Markets in 2003, along with three colleagues, with a mission to leverage their unique capabilities as an independent research & sales trading group. As the firm's Research Principal, Mr. Charest develops research and investment strategies for institutions and private investors, with a focus on small and mid-cap companies across all industrial sectors. His approach combines fundamental and technical disciplines to identify operating optimums within the business cycle. Mr. Charest's Wall Street career began with Shearson Lehman Brothers in 1991 following several years' sales & marketing experience in consumer and pharmaceutical products. A focus on technically driven equity strategies led to a move to Bear Stearns in 1996, and May Davis Group in 1997, where he began publishing research. Steven is a frequent guest commentator in financial radio, television and print media.Mr. Charest graduated from the University of South Florida in 1986, where he majored in Advertising/Mass Communications and minored in Fine Arts. He holds the Series 7, 63, 65, 24, 86 and 87 securities licenses.
Mr. Hellman joined Divine Capital Markets in 2009 as a Senior Research Analyst. He brings over 16 years of securities industry experience spanning multiple disciplines. After beginning his career as a trader, Mr. Hellman earned his CFA charter holder designation in 2001 and subsequently joined Thompson, Davis & Co. as an analyst in 2005. At TD&Co. he was promoted to Director of Research while also publishing coverage on a variety of small cap companies. His main areas of interest are energy-related themes and emerging technologies.
Mr. Hellman holds the Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 securities licenses.
Ms. Johnson joined Divine Capital's Research team in 2011. Bringing over 25 years of investment experience to our firm, Ms. Johnson adds breadth and depth to our team. Her buy-side experience includes stints at Equitable Life and Fleet Specialist where she provided research coverage on a variety of industries. She also spent several years as an institutional equity salesperson at Smith Barney. Ms. Johnson received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and has an M.B.A in Finance from New York University. She earned her CFA charter holder designation in 2001. She holds the Series 7, 63, 86 and 87 securities licenses.
Ms. Malone joined Divine Capital Markets in 2008 as an Institutional Sales/Trader. She is responsible for marketing the firm's execution services and presenting research ideas to institutional firms including Hedge Funds and Asset Management companies. Prior to joining Divine Capital, Ms. Malone was an Account Manager at UBS in their Equity Prime Services division.
Ms. Malone earned an MBA from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2005 and a BA from the University of Michigan in 1999. She holds the Series 7, 24, 63 and 55 securities licenses.
Mr. Laemmel joined Divine Capital Markets in 2003 as Managing Director specializing in Insurance, Banks, Telecommunications and Monetary Economics. He started as a Sales Analyst with Middendort, Colgate in 1962 specializing in insurance stocks and ultimately became Research Director. Mr. Laemmel was also Research Director at Laidlaw Adams & Peck, Kuhns Brothers & Laidlaw, WR Lazard, Laidlaw & Meade, and May Davis
Mr. Laemmel holds the Series 7 and 63 securities licenses.
Sharon Jones joined Divine Capital Markets in 2010 and works in the firm's Compliance Department. She brings over 12 years of securities industry and regulatory experience to our organization. She has worked for broker/dealers in Atlanta, Georgia where she was the Associate Director of Compliance, and for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in Atlanta as a Senior Compliance Examiner.
Mrs. Jones graduated from Georgia Southern University with a BBA in Finance and holds the Series 7, 24, 4, 53, 79, and 63 licenses.
Jeanine Blackman joined Divine Capital Markets in 2012 and works in the firm’s Compliance Dept. She brings over 12 years of securities industry experience. Prior to joining Divine Capital, she worked for a mid tier broker/dealer in Atlanta as a Compliance Officer. Mrs. Blackman graduated from Rutgers University with a BS in Environmental Economics and Georgia Southern University with an MS in Economics. She holds the Series 7, 24, 4, 9, 10, 55, 79, 63 and 65 licenses.
Ms. Alejandro joined Divine Capital Markets in 2006 as part of the Operations and Settlements team. As manager of operations, Ms. Alejandro runs all of the daily trade reporting and back office administration duties. She works hand in hand with the customers and our clearing agent to make sure that the account and settlement process is an effortless project for all parties involved. Ms. Alejandro's Wall street career began in 1998 on the floor of the American Stock Exchange as a Floor Operations Specialist for Charles Schwab. She was responsible for all pre-opening market data and the handling of all customer orders and executions. She became manager of booth operations and then proceeded to join the company Progressive Securities in September of 2004 as a Senior Floor Operations Specialist.
