Richard D. Taormina, Managing Director, is head of the Tax Aware Strategies team within our Global Fixed Income, Currency & Commodities (GFICC) group. Based in New York, Rick is responsible for managing municipal and tax-aware mutual funds, high net worth and institutional fixed income accounts, and quantitative analysis. In 2001, Rick initiated a process that allows separately managed accounts to benefit from the power of the JPMorgan platform, including systematic strategic management, institutional level trade execution, and improved portfolio benchmarking. Rick also expanded the use of quantitative analysis and tools, allowing individuals to benefit from strategies previously available only to institutional and taxable buyers. Rick joined the firm as a state-specific mutual fund manager and strategist. Prior to joining the firm in 1997, Rick was a senior trader for national, high-yield, and state-specific funds at the Vanguard Group. He has been a municipal bond manager since 1990. Rick holds a B.A. in economics from the University of Delaware, an M.B.A. in finance from Wilmington College, and is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP).