Imperial Capital hired John Santonastaso and Colin Ives as managing directors and Brent Herbst as a vice president to expand its high yield and distressed credit sales team. These sales professionals will report to Timothy Sullivan, president of Imperial Capital.

In their new roles, Santonastaso, Ives and Herbst will support a range of activities, including par and distressed loan and bond trading along with alternative credit solutions in distressed and esoteric assets.

“We are pleased to hire these seasoned professionals and believe their market credibility fits nicely with our growing team,” Sullivan said. “We believe leveraged finance along with alternative credit holds long-term growth prospects for us and we continue our commitment to expanding our platform for our clients in this area.”

Santonastaso joined Imperial Capital in Palm Beach, FL as a managing director in credit sales where his focus will be on high yield/distressed sales. Prior to joining Imperial Capital, Santonastaso was a managing director in credit sales for BTIG. He also previously served at Guggenheim Securities and Cantor Fitzgerald in credit sales. Santonastaso was the head trader for Farmstead Capital Management after he spent 15 years in high yield and distressed sales with Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank. Santonastaso began his career as an investment banking associate with Houlihan Lokey.

Ives joined Imperial Capital in Stamford, CT as a managing director in credit sales and will focus specifically on alternative credit to include distressed and esoteric asset trading ideas. Ives joined Imperial Capital from Cambridge International Securities, where he was a managing director in alternative credit. Prior to that, Ives was with Cowen/CRT for 12 years as a managing director in credit sales. Ives spent more than 11 years with Lehman Brothers and began his career with the SD Warren Company.

Herbst joined Imperial Capital in Stamford, CT as vice president, high yield/distressed sales. Prior to Imperial Capital, Herbst was with Oppenheimer in high yield and distressed bond sales. Herbst began his career on the trading desks of Wells Fargo Securities and Morgan Stanley.