John joined MacKay Shields in July 2009 when the firm acquired the assets of Mariner Municipal Managers LLC. He was the Chairman and co-founder of Mariner Municipal Managers from 2007 to 2009. He has been a municipal portfolio manager and/or municipal analyst since 1990, with a broad range of portfolio management and analytic experience in the municipal markets. John was a Managing Director and Co-Head of BlackRock’s Municipal Portfolio Management Group (from 2006 to 2007). Prior to BlackRock’s merger with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers (MLIM), he served as Chief Investment Officer of the Municipal Products Group. He was employed by Merrill Lynch from 1990 to 2006. Before Merrill Lynch, he worked for the City of Boston Treasury Department. John is a member of the firm’s Senior Leadership Team. He graduated with an MBA and Certificate of Public Management from Boston University and with a Bachelors degree in Finance, cum laude, from Utah State University where he was a Harry S. Truman Scholar. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Robert joined MacKay Shields in July 2009 when the firm acquired the assets of Mariner Municipal Managers LLC. He was the President and co-founder of Mariner Municipal Managers from 2007 to 2009. He has been a municipal portfolio manager since 1992, with a broad range of trading and portfolio management experience in the municipal markets. Robert was a Managing Director and Co-Head of BlackRock’s Municipal Portfolio Management Group (from 2006 to 2007). Prior to BlackRock’s merger with Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, he served as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Managing Director of the Municipal Products Group. He was employed by Merrill Lynch from 1993 to 2006. Robert is a member of the firm’s Senior Leadership Team. He earned his Master’s degree at Rutgers University Business School and an undergraduate degree at the University of Connecticut. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Mike joined MacKay Shields in July 2009. Before joining the firm he was a Portfolio Manager for Mariner Municipal Managers. He has been a municipal bond portfolio manager since 1992, and has worked in the municipal products market since 1985. Mike has a broad array of trading, portfolio management, and sales experience. Prior to joining Mariner Municipal Managers, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Dreyfus Corporation from 1997 to 2009. From 1992 to 1997, he served as a Portfolio Manager for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Mike graduated from Hobart College with a B.S. in Mathematics and Economics.

Frances Lewis joined MacKay Shields in July 2009 and is currently a Senior Managing Director. Ms. Lewis was the Director of Research for Mariner Municipal Managers and was previously at Merrill Lynch. Ms. Lewis began her municipal analyst career in 1991 as an Analyst for Merrill Lynch Investment Managers where she was a Senior Fund Analyst covering various sectors of the municipal market and becoming a Director in the Municipal Research Group in 1997. Ms. Lewis earned an MBA from Boston University and a BA from the University of Michigan.

Mr. Sprauer is a Senior Managing Director. He joined MacKay Shields in 2009 as a Portfolio Manager in the Municipal Bond Division. He has managed the MainStay MacKay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund, MainStay MacKay DefinedTerm Municipal Opportunities Fund since 2012, MainStay MacKay California Tax Free Opportunities Fund since 2013, MainStay MacKay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund, MainStay MacKay Tax Free Bond Fund since 2014 and MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund since 2019. Before joining the firm, he was Head Trader, Fixed Income at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company. Mr. Sprauer was previously with Dreyfus Corporation and Merrill Lynch Investment Managers as a Municipal Bond Portfolio Manager/Trader. He has a BSBA from Villanova University, and has been in the investment management industry since 1991.

Mr. Dowden is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at MacKay Shields. He joined MacKay Shields in 2009 as a Portfolio Manager in the Municipal Bond Division. He has managed the MainStay MacKay New York Tax Free Opportunities Fund, MainStay MacKay DefinedTerm Municipal Opportunities Fund since 2012, MainStay MacKay California Tax Free Opportunities Fund since 2013, MainStay MacKay High Yield Municipal Bond Fund, MainStay MacKay Tax Free Bond Fund since 2014 and MainStay MacKay U.S. Infrastructure Bond Fund since 2019. Before joining the firm, he was Chief Investment Officer at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company. He was previously with Alliance Capital Management as a Senior Portfolio Manager and at Merrill Lynch & Co. as a Municipal Strategist. He has an AB from Brown University and an MBA from Columbia University. He has been in the investment management industry since 1989.

Mr. Denlinger joined MacKay Shields in 2019 and is currently a Director. Prior to joining MacKay Shields, he was an institutional municipal credit trader at Bank of America Merrill Lynch with a primary focus on taxable and healthcare securities. Prior to trading credit, he was a high grade municipal trader. Mr. Denlinger earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Johns Hopkins University in 2014. Mr. Denlinger is a CFA Charterholder and has been in the financial services industry since 2014.