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26 Sept 2007

Hedge Funds Backup Habitat For Humanity

An initiative by the hedge fund community to provide New York City families with home ownership opportunities through Habitat for Humanity NY, has announced the launch of a campaign called Hedge Funds for Habitat.

Most immediately, this campaign will help Habitat-NYC complete its 41 unit affordable condominium buildings on Atlantic Avenue in Ocean Hill-Brownsville, Brooklyn, a $13 million state-of-the-art green complex and the largest multifamily complex ever constructed by any Habitat affiliate.

Championed by Stuart Feffer, co-chief executive officer of Lacrosse Global Fund Services, Hedge Funds for Habitat NY is calling on supporters from hedge funds, private equity firms and the service provider community who recognize that there are many working families in New York City living in unsafe and overcrowded conditions whose lives will be forever changed with a Habitat home.

“Our initial goal is to help Habitat-NYC give 41 hardworking families a safe place to live, the opportunity to realize their dreams of home ownership and the ability to secure their future,” Feffer said. “Hedge fund professionals know that investing in human capital is key to the success of our industry... and our city. Safe, decent and affordable homes will help New York’s working families to thrive. And that helps all of us flourish.”

“Habitat-NYC is proud to partner with Stuart Feffer, LaCrosse Global Fund Services and New York City’s hedge fund industry,” said Josh Lockwood, acting executive director of Habitat-NYC. “This unique collaboration unites hedge fund leaders.”

Living up to the Habitat motto “we give a hand up, not a handout,” future homeowner families will work alongside volunteers to construct their own simple, decent and affordable homes. The Hedge Funds for Habitat campaign will help underwrite the recruitment, selection and financial literacy training of the 41 first-time home buyers and help enable Habitat-NYC to complete these “green” condominiums.

Designed by Dattner Architects, construction includes energy efficient and environmentally friendly materials and design. The complex is expected to qualify for a LEED rating, which will allow the homeowners to save up to 30% on their energy bills and raise their families in a healthy home.

Bear Stearns Hires New Hedge Fund Manager

Bear Stearns today announced new additions to their staff, among others, Douglas C. Stern, a senior managing director and industry veteran who will help manage the prime brokerage sales team focused on the firm’s largest hedge fund relationships.

“Bear Stearns Prime Brokerage Services offers clients the best products and service by top professionals in the business,” said Louis Lebedin, head of Prime Brokerage Services. “These additions to our staff will add terrific value to our franchise and will help us to provide clients with more world-class products and capabilities.” The strength of the prime brokerage franchise contributed to record revenues for Bear Stearns’ Global Clearing Services division for the third quarter of 2007.

Douglas Stern, who has 23 years experience in institutional sales and prime brokerage services, joins from Morgan Stanley’s prime brokerage unit, where for seven years he was responsible for managing relationships and developing business with some of that firm’s largest clients. He also managed a team responsible for newly launched hedge funds. Mr. Stern holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University.

In the 2007 Global Custodian Prime Brokerage Survey, Bear Stearns was ranked the No. 3 prime broker globally and was awarded 50 out of a possible 72 “Best in Class” awards. In the latest Lipper HedgeWorld Prime Brokerage survey, Bear Stearns was the leading prime broker by assets for U.S. hedge funds and the No. 2 prime broker for the largest non-US funds.