Operations, technology veteran Cimino has been with W.H. Reaves since 1997. Asset manager W.H. Reaves, which specializes in utility, telecommunications and energy equities, has promoted Louis Cimino to President to the position of COO. W.H. Reaves hasn't had an officially designated COO since Frank McDonough left the firm in 2005.

Cimino's "customer focus, technical experience and leadership skills make him well qualified for this position," W.H. Reaves says in a press release.

Busy

In addition to his new responsibilities in overseeing the day-to-day activities of W.H. Reaves, Cimino will continue to serve as the firm's telecommunications and technology Analyst, head the its risk-management team and act as an assistant portfolio manager for some of the firm's individual account relationships.

Before joining W.H. Reaves in 1997, Cimino was chief information officer at agency brokerage Autranet -- then a subsidiary of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, now part of Bank of New York Mellon. He has also worked in technology development at several major financial services firms including Shearson Lehman Hutton (now part of Citigroup), Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch (now part of Bank of America).

Going back about a year -- the last time the firm updated its ADV file with the SEC -- Jersey City, N.J.-based W.H. Reaves managed about $2.9 billion across 817 accounts, mainly for high-net-worth clients. The employee-owned firm has been in business since 1961. -FWR

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