BB&T Capital Markets announced its new corporate banking team based in Chicago. Michael Laurie, Kurt Anstaett, John Malloy, Shane Koonce and Andrey Rudnitsky comprise a team of bankers in position to leverage BB&T’s lending expertise.

“The hiring of these seasoned corporate bankers continues the acceleration of our national growth strategy,” said BB&T Chairman and CEO Kelly King. “We believe that BB&T’s relationship-based, values-driven approach along with a strong balance sheet will resonate solidly with clients in the Midwest.”

“This dynamic team will play a key role in the development of our overall Midwest corporate client base,” said Rufus Yates, president and CEO of BB&T Securities and BB&T Capital Markets manager. “This office will also serve as the base of our national effort to serve the needs of companies in the food, agribusiness and beverage industries.”

Michael Laurie will head BB&T’s Food, Agribusiness, and Beverage corporate banking group. He has 18 years of corporate banking experience with large cap and middle market companies, including 13 years managing and developing relationships with companies in the food processing and agribusiness industries. Laurie has covered companies in the dairy processing, milling and baking, valued-added food processing, and food packaging sectors, among others. His areas of focus include capital raising and risk management, as well as strategic and business development solutions.

Kurt Anstaett has more than 30 years of banking experience advising, arranging and executing financing for middle market and large corporate companies. He has arranged and helped lead financing solutions in the bank debt and equity markets along with serving as the lead corporate banker for numerous companies in the industrial, consumer products and business services sectors.

John Malloy comes to BB&T Capital Markets with more than 20 years of large corporate banking experience. He has transaction experience including acquisition finance, project finance, trade finance and arranging syndicated credit facilities. He has advised clients on strategies for managing interest rate risk and foreign exchange exposures. He has served as lead banker for both public and private companies in the manufacturing, business services, consumer products and retail industry sectors among others.

Shane Koonce joins BB&T’s Food, Agribusiness & Beverage team as a senior portfolio manager, adding 17 years of banking experience to the team. He has extensive experience in the food and consumer sectors focusing on loan originations, credit underwriting, syndications, portfolio management and loan workouts.

Andrey Rudnitsky joins the Chicago team with five years of experience at BB&T. He has experience in credit underwriting, syndications and portfolio management, as well as previous experience as an equity analyst with BB&T Capital Markets covering the industrial flow control sector.