In this episode of Full Disclosure, hosts Tyler Traudt and Nina Enholm sit down with Rick White, an independent consultant and veteran of the municipal finance world with over 20 years of experience in underwriting and remarketing tax-exempt variable rate debt. Rick pulls back the curtain on Variable Rate Demand Notes (VRDNs), Tender Option Bonds, and money market eligible products and explains their structure, benefits, risks, and how they've evolved since the 2008 financial crisis.

From his early days on the trading floor at First Union to managing a $30 billion variable rate portfolio at Wells Fargo, Rick provides a front-row view of how the market has shifted over the years. He walks listeners through the mechanics of liquidity facilities, remarketing agents, and the crucial role of bank letters of credit, breaking down complex financial concepts in a clear and candid way.

The episode explores what happened when the auction rate market froze, how banks responded, and why investor trust in liquidity dried up seemingly overnight. The conversation wraps with a look at current rate trends, as Rick, Tyler, and Nina analyze recent charts and discuss what might come next for variable rate debt in today’s market environment.

(1) Lessons from the Auction Rate Crisis: The 2008 financial crisis exposed the fragility of auction rate securities and highlighted the importance of strong liquidity support. Rick recounts how frozen markets forced issuers to pivot to VRDNs, often overnight.

(2) Modern Tools, Smarter Strategy: Post-2008 reforms like EMMA brought much-needed transparency to the market. Today, issuers can (and should) monitor rates across multiple series and remarketing agents to make data-informed decisions.

(3) Variable Rate Debt is Evolving: Despite its complexity, variable rate debt can offer real advantages in the right circumstances. With volatility back in the market, and daily vs. weekly reset modes now diverging by 100+ basis points, the time to re-evaluate strategies is now.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, hosts Tyler Traudt and Nina Enholm sit down with Mark Vitner, Chief Economist at Piedmont Crescent Capital, for an in-depth economic update. Mark unpacks key trends shaping the U.S. economy, analyzing the impact of tariffs, Federal Reserve policy, and shifting supply chains on growth and inflation.

With years of experience forecasting economic conditions, Mark provides valuable insights into the current slowdown, explaining how uncertainty in trade policy and capital investment decisions is influencing business strategy. He breaks down the real effects of tariffs on consumer prices and how the Federal Reserve is managing inflation while avoiding recession.

During the episode, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how economic conditions are evolving and what to watch for in the coming months, from potential rate cuts to shifts in housing and manufacturing. If you're looking for an analysis of where the economy is headed, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Featured Guest:

Mark Vitner is the Chief Economist at Piedmont Crescent Capital, where he provides strategic economic insights and forecasting for clients across industries. With over 30 years of experience in economic analysis, Mark specializes in assessing U.S. and regional economic conditions, financial markets, and geopolitics, with a focus on their impact on consumers, local economies, housing, and commercial real estate.

Before founding Piedmont Crescent Capital, Mark spent nearly three decades at Wells Fargo as a Managing Director and Senior Economist, where he led macroeconomic research and regularly briefed corporate leaders, investors, and policymakers. His expertise also extends to roles at Wachovia, First Union National Bank, and Barnett Bank, where he developed strategic economic outlooks and provided critical analysis for financial institutions.

Mark is a recognized thought leader in economic forecasting and has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences, corporate events, and policy discussions. He has also contributed to numerous publications on inflation, monetary policy, and economic development.

Top Takeaways from Episode 03:

1. Tariffs & Trade Policy Impact – Tariffs can distort supply chains and increase costs, but their inflationary impact is often overstated. The long-term effects depend on whether they’re used for revenue generation, trade leverage, or reshoring efforts.

2. The Federal Reserve’s Balancing Act – The Fed faces the difficult task of cutting rates to sustain growth while avoiding a resurgence of inflation. Mark predicts three rate cuts in 2025 but sees potential rate hikes resuming in 2026.

3. Federal Debt & Fiscal Concerns – Interest payments on national debt have surpassed defense spending, raising long-term concerns. Future policy shifts may focus on entitlement reform, tax policy adjustments, and government efficiency to curb deficits.

In this episode of Full Disclosure, our hosts Tyler Traudt and Nina Enholm explore the unique role of bond banks with Michael Gaughan, Executive Director of the Vermont Bond Bank. Michael shares his expertise on how bond banks provide critical access to capital for small and rural communities, ensuring they can fund essential infrastructure projects without the complexities of direct market access.

Michael takes us through the origins of the Vermont Bond Bank, the first of its kind in the nation, and explains how it continues to evolve, offering innovative financing solutions that help municipalities manage challenges like rising interest rates, disaster recovery, and sustainability projects. From a small town rebuilding after a devastating fire to statewide efforts to address climate resilience, listeners will gain valuable insights into how bond banks operate, the challenges of financing public projects in rural areas, and why access to equitable, long-term capital is crucial for the sustainability and growth of small communities.

Featured Guest:

Michael Gaughan is the Executive Director & Secretary of the Vermont Bond Bank, where he has led efforts to support municipal financing and infrastructure development across the state since 2018. In this role, Michael oversees lending programs that enable local governments, school districts, and other public entities to secure funding for essential projects. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Vermont Educational and Health Buildings Financing Agency, further advancing access to cost-effective capital for educational and healthcare institutions.

Michael represents the Bond Bank on the State of Vermont’s Capital Debt Affordability Advisory Committee, providing expert insight on the state's long-term borrowing capacity. His extensive experience in public finance includes serving as a Director at the National Development Council (NDC), where he worked on community development finance initiatives nationwide, and as a public finance banker at PNC, specializing in governmental, housing, and community facilities transactions.

In addition to his leadership roles, Michael is actively involved in public finance and economic development organizations. He is a board member of the Northeast State Government Finance Officers Association (NESGFOA), an advisor to the Government Finance Officers Association’s (GFOA) Committee on Economic Development and Capital Planning, and a member of the Executive Committee for the City of Burlington’s Planning Commission.

Top Takeaways from Episode 02:

1. How Bond Banks Level the Playing Field – The Vermont Bond Bank provides small and rural communities with access to affordable financing, ensuring that even towns with just a few hundred residents can fund essential infrastructure projects at the same rates as larger municipalities.

2. A History of Innovation – Vermont was home to the first bond bank in the U.S., created to address a capital crunch in the 1970s. Since then, the model has evolved to meet modern financial challenges, offering solutions beyond traditional municipal bonds.

3. Bridging the Gap for Disaster Recovery – Vermont’s Municipal Climate Recovery Fund is a forward-thinking initiative that helps communities secure financing for rebuilding after floods and other climate-related disasters.