About the firm.
Backstrom McCarley Berry & Co., LLC ("BMcB") is a minority-owned financial services firm dedicated exclusively to public finance. Since our founding in 2002, our firm has worked with municipal issuers across the country to meet their capital financing needs through our municipal advisory and underwriting business lines.
BMcB brings together a team of experienced public finance professionals who share a commitment to hands-on, client focused service with an emphasis on thoughtful, disciplined execution.
Our mission is to foster sustainable growth, enhance community engagement, and deliver exceptional services that promote equity and inclusivity for our clients and their communities.
The firm retains many small and minority business certifications, including Small Business by the State of California Department of General Services and Local Business Enterprise by the City and County of San Francisco.
Our team.
Vincent has 40+ years of public finance experience. He has provided invaluable guidance to a spectrum of governmental entities, financing authorities, and non-profit organizations across the country with his expertise encompassing a wide range of sectors. Vincent has a demonstrated proficiency in capital fund planning, project financing analysis, bond pricing, and fostering robust investor relations.
Series 7, 24, 50, 53, 54, 63, SIE
MBA, Pepperdine University; MA, Ball State University; BA, Indiana University.
Chief Executive Officer
Vincent McCarley
Pharris is a Municipal Securities Principal leading the firm’s underwriting, sales, pricing, and marketing. She also serves as a Municipal Advisor Principal, supporting clients with real-time market insights. Leveraging her expertise in transaction execution, pricing, ratings, and document review, Pharris has advised states, cities, counties, and transportation issuers nationwide. She also spearheads credit facility implementation and management for Commercial Paper and VRDB programs.
Series 54, 53, 50, 52, 63, 99, SIE
BS, University of San Francisco
Senior Managing DirectorPharris Langston
Peter has a diverse and extensive background including positions as a governmental capital budget analyst, utility analyst for bond insurers, and public finance banker. With his experience as a senior credit analyst, Peter aids in our evaluation and analysis of various forms of credit enhancement. As head of the firm’s quantitative group, he manages the bid sale verification, on-going debt profile maintenance, and refunding monitoring.
Series 7, 50, 63, CFA, SIE
MBA, Columbia University; BA University of California, Santa Cruz
Senior Vice PresidentPeter Wong
Dave has 30+ years of experience in California school and community college district finance and has served as head of the K-14 groups at both KNN Public Finance and PFM. Dave has worked on hundreds of transactions for scores of K-14 clients and routinely develops multiyear financing plans reflecting analysis for district consideration of cost-effective methods, terms, security, and repayment structures.
Series 50
BA, Yale University
Senior Vice PresidentDave Olson
Emerson drives public finance origination, execution, marketing, and regulatory compliance at BMcB, serving municipal clients nationally. He brings a cross-disciplinary background spanning public finance law, investment banking, and regulatory practice — with prior roles at Hawkins, Citigroup, and PIMCO.
Series 52, 63, SIE
JD, Emory University School of Law; BA, University of Texas at Austin
Senior Vice PresidentEmerson Sanders
Ron coordinates the Midwest public finance efforts of the firm using his extensive financing experience working with governmental and non-profit entities. Since transitioning from investment broker to investment banking in 1993, Ron has senior, or co-senior managed underwritings for numerous St. Louis and Kansas City issuers. Ron’s TRANS program and revenue bond experience extends throughout the Midwest.
Series 7, 50, 63, SIE
St. Louis University
Senior Vice PresidentRon Browning Smith
Brant has over 25 years of experience in municipal finance and throughout his career has demonstrated expertise in structuring and distributing $15B+ of municipal securities across diverse credits and markets, establishing himself as a trusted professional in the industry. Brant's proficiency extends to pricing transactions for California public agencies where he has priced 300+ transactions, offering invaluable insights and strategic guidance to his clients.
Series 6, 7, 24, 50, 53, 63
BS, San Diego State University
Managing DirectorBrant Smith
Mallory brings a CPG marketing background combined with a degree in Communications, Law, Economics & Government from American University. Her expertise is in building strong client connections and leveraging strategic thinking to drive growth and engagement across public finance relationships.
BA, American University
Marketing ManagerMallory McCarley
Andrew has 3 years of experience in the public finance industry, specializing in analytics, debt modeling, and pricing books. Andrew leverages his previous background in technology, fintech, and data analytics to deliver client support. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Santa Clara University and brings a unique blend of analytical expertise, technical skills, and financial services industry knowledge to his role.
BS, Santa Clara University
AnalystAndrew Wong
Amelia joined the public finance industry in 2024 after earning a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Occidental College. She supports the team across all phases of the transaction process, including preparing analytical materials for investor engagement. With a strong quantitative background and growing deal experience, Amelia brings a sharp, detail-oriented perspective to every financing.
Series 50
BA, Occidental College
Analyst