JWTT Inc. Doubles Down on Community Banking with Veteran Hires, Florida Expansion

BEND, Ore. – April 06, 2026 – In a strategic move signaling a deeper commitment to the community banking sector, full-service brokerage firm JWTT Inc. today announced the appointment of industry veteran Mike Acampora as Senior Vice President of Investments and Garrett Lingle as Associate Vice President. The new hires will spearhead the firm's operations from a newly established office in Jacksonville, Florida, significantly bolstering JWTT's presence in a key financial market and reinforcing its focus on a specialized, yet vital, corner of the financial world.

This expansion is more than a routine personnel update; it represents a calculated maneuver by the Bend, Oregon-based firm to solidify its leadership position as a premier investment bank, market maker, and advisory for small and micro-cap financial institutions. By bringing on a team with deep-rooted experience and opening a new geographic hub, JWTT is positioning itself to capitalize on the unique opportunities and challenges within the nation's community banking ecosystem.

A Calculated Expansion into a Niche Market

JWTT Inc., a subsidiary of the financial services holding company Paulson Capital Holding Company, LLC, has carved out a distinct identity by focusing intently on community banks. The firm, which makes markets in over 500 such institutions and manages more than $500 million in customer assets, serves a diverse clientele ranging from high-net-worth individuals to institutional investors and the banks themselves.

The addition of Acampora and Lingle is a direct reflection of this specialized strategy. Joey Warmenhoven, CEO of JWTT Inc., emphasized the strategic fit of the new team. "We are thrilled to welcome Mike and Garrett to JWTT," Warmenhoven stated in the announcement. "Their longstanding relationships, sector knowledge, and client-first approach align perfectly with our mission to serve as a trusted partner to community bank investors."

Warmenhoven further noted that the appointments are set to enhance the firm's capabilities across the board. "Mike and Garrett's addition further strengthens our ability to deliver differentiated insights, execution, and access to opportunities within the community banking market," he added. This suggests that the firm views the new team not just as an addition, but as a force multiplier for its existing platform.

The Acampora Advantage: Decades of Specialized Expertise

The centerpiece of the announcement is undoubtedly Mike Acampora, whose career spans more than three decades in financial services. His professional history reads like a tour of respected firms with strong investment banking and advisory practices, including senior roles at Raymond James, Williams Securities Group, FIG Partners, Janney Montgomery Scott, and D.A. Davidson. This extensive background provides him with a unique perspective on the evolution of the financial markets.

What sets Acampora apart is his deep specialization in the nuanced world of community banking. Throughout his career, he has honed his expertise in advising and assisting a wide array of stakeholders, from individual investors and shareholders to bank boards and directors. He is particularly known for his work in helping smaller banks distribute their shares on OTC markets and other exchanges—a critical service for institutions that often lack the scale for a major exchange listing. Simultaneously, he has built a reputation for helping investors, including current and former bank directors, acquire shares in select community banks, a service that facilitates crucial liquidity and ownership strategies.

His move to JWTT is a testament to the firm's growing reputation and resource base. "I am excited to join JWTT and continue serving our clients with the benefit of the firm's extensive platform and resources," Acampora said. He highlighted the synergy between his practice and his new firm, noting, "JWTT's deep community banking market expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to high-touch service make it an ideal partner for our clients and their evolving investment needs."

Working alongside him is Garrett Lingle, whose own FINRA records show a recent registration with Janney Montgomery Scott, suggesting a pre-existing professional relationship with Acampora. This established teamwork is likely to enable the Jacksonville office to hit the ground running, providing seamless service to a shared client base from day one.

Betting on the Sunshine State and Sector Stability

The choice of Jacksonville, Florida, for a new office is as strategic as the hires themselves. Florida's robust and growing economy, coupled with its status as a major hub for wealth management and financial services in the Southeastern United States, makes it a fertile ground for JWTT's expansion. The state is home to a significant number of community banks serving diverse local economies, presenting a rich market for the specialized advisory services that Acampora and Lingle provide. By establishing a physical presence, JWTT can offer more direct, high-touch service to existing and potential clients in the region.

This geographical expansion is matched by a strategic bet on the enduring value of the community banking sector itself. While often overshadowed by their larger national counterparts, community banks form the backbone of local economies across the country. They face unique challenges, including maintaining shareholder liquidity, navigating complex regulations, and competing with larger banks and fintech disruptors. These very challenges create a persistent demand for the kind of specialized, relationship-based advisory that has been the hallmark of Acampora's career and is the core of JWTT's business model.

In an era of increasing automation and digital-first finance, JWTT's investment in veteran talent underscores a belief that for a certain class of client and institution, there is no substitute for experience, trust, and nuanced market knowledge.

The Paulson Capital Playbook

Zooming out, JWTT's latest moves can be seen as a key part of the broader strategy of its parent company, Paulson Capital Holding Company, LLC. Holding companies like Paulson Capital often grow by acquiring or building out subsidiaries with dominant positions in specific, often overlooked, market niches. By funding JWTT's expansion and supporting its acquisition of top-tier talent, Paulson Capital is executing a classic playbook: empowering a specialized unit to capture market share and generate high-value returns in a sector that larger, more diversified firms might ignore.

This approach allows the parent company to benefit from the growth in the community banking sector without needing to build the specialized infrastructure and relationships from scratch. JWTT acts as the expert spearhead, leveraging its deep fundamental and technical analysis to serve a client base that values expertise over brand size. The success of JWTT, therefore, becomes a direct contributor to the strategic success of Paulson Capital's portfolio. The investment in the Jacksonville office and the new team demonstrates Paulson's confidence in JWTT's leadership and its bullish outlook on the future of specialized financial advisory services.

With these new appointments and its expanded footprint, JWTT Inc. has sent a clear message to the market. The firm is not just participating in the community banking space; it is actively working to dominate it by assembling unparalleled expertise and providing the dedicated resources necessary to serve this vital segment of the American financial system. The combination of Acampora's veteran leadership, Lingle's support, and the firm's robust market-making platform creates a formidable force poised to shape the investment landscape for community banks for years to come.