Bank Notes

Frontside Research is guided by a simple mission: Give an investment edge to our buy-side clients. We are an independent research company applying next-level primary research tactics no one else is using. Our team, which has extensive Wall Street experience (see bios below), seeks the innovative research solutions we would want if we were buy-side investors.

FRONTSIDE Research LLC launched in 2005, leading with FRONTSIDE Bank Notes (FBN). FRONTSIDE has introduced FBN as Wall Street's premiere primary market research product focused on bank stocks. The banking sector is a large and vital component of the stock market. Further, a FRONTSIDE analysis of individual bank stock performances illustrates the importance of stock selection in this sector (contact us for this analysis). Our penetrating research will help clients select which stocks to own.

FBN is constantly tapping nontraditional information sources for new, predictive insights on the banking industry. We probe the marketplace where banking is conducted (loans are written, credit cards are issued, etc.) and competitors, employees and customers interact. To learn more about FBN's research process, see the Research Process section of our Web site.

Craig Gordon
Senior Managing Director of FRONTSIDE Research LLC.
Craig Gordon founded Off The Record Research LLC (OTR) in 1995. OTR has established an international network of more than 150 reporters who generate ongoing marketplace research on companies and industries for more than 200 buy-side clients. He developed the concept of unbiased marketplace research during his 11 years as director of Grassroots Research at RCM Capital Management LLC. Prior, Craig worked at Ketchum Advertising and taught at the University of California at Berkeley and Golden Gate University. Craig holds a master's degree in public and private management from Yale University and a bachelor of science degree from Lehigh University.

Joe Salerno
Head of Business Strategy
Joe has more than 15 years of professional investment experience. He worked for 10 years as senior vice president of Para Advisors Inc., a hedge fund with approximately $500 million under management, where he focused on investing in value stocks and catalyst-driven situations. As an analyst and portfolio manager, he searched for long/short investment opportunities by analyzing a broad range of publicly traded companies and industry sectors, including banks, electronics, gaming, hotels, industrials, media, retail and telecommunications. Prior, he worked for five years as an equities analyst at Gabelli & Co. Inc. Joe holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

John Nelson
Director of Research
Before joining FRONTSIDE research, John Nelson was the lead contributor to OTR's financial services reporting practice. John has managed several reports on banking, payments and commercial/residential real estate for OTR since 2002. In addition to his experience with OTR, John was an analyst with a technology-based venture capital group, research director for an enterprise portal provider, and global director of research for Accenture's financial services and e-commerce practice. At Accenture, John handled research-based projects for Visa, Bank of America, Citigroup and other world-class clients. He holds an MBA in finance from San Francisco State University and a bachelor's degree in business from San Diego State University.

Phil Nourie
Head of Institutional Sales
Following four years in institutional equity research sales at Union Bank of Switzerland and SG Cowen & Co. LLC, Phil brought his Wall Street experience to the global financial communications arena, holding critical investor relations and marketing posts at Citigate Dewe Rogerson, Ruder Finn Inc. and Rubenstein Associates Inc. After representing such clients as HSBC, Citigroup, Franklin Templeton, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. and CIBC, Phil founded Nourie Public Relations Inc. in 2001 to offer a fully integrated financial marketing and strategic counsel firm. Headquartered in New York , the firm represents a range of entrepreneurs, financial, real estate, legal and business-to-business companies as well as nonprofit organizations. HedgeRow, a subsidiary of Nourie, is a marketing concern catering to hedge funds, mutual funds and investment advisory firms.