MILWAUKEE, Dec. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- EVEREN Securities, Inc., and Firstar
Corporation (NYSE: FSR) have entered into a contractual affiliation that
allows Firstar to expand its capital markets offerings and provides EVEREN
with an additional source of capital markets business.  The affiliation, which
requires no capital investment from either party, is effective immediately,
but will take several months to fully implement.
    The affiliation with EVEREN will enable Firstar to offer its corporate,
municipal and institutional clients equity and debt underwriting and sales,
fixed-income products, and public finance advisory services.  The association
will provide EVEREN Securities with a substantial new source of investment
banking referral business, particularly in public offerings, private
placements, and mergers and acquisitions.
    The senior executive vice president and director of EVEREN's Capital
Markets division, Thomas R. Reedy, said, "We are very excited to be able to
broaden our distribution capability through the affiliation with Firstar.
Milwaukee already ranks among EVEREN's top business markets, and joining
forces with one of Wisconsin's leading financial institutions creates an
investment banking combination to be reckoned with throughout the Upper
Midwest."
    Firstar Chairman Roger Fitzsimonds commented, "By affiliating with EVEREN,
a national full-service securities firm with a broad range of retail brokerage
and investment banking capabilities, Firstar will fill crucial gaps in its
capital markets offerings and become a stronger competitor.  We will be a
better partner and advisor to our customers -- able to offer the broadly
integrated commercial and investment banking capabilities they want.  This is
consistent with our goal of providing complete financial strategies to
customers."
    Firstar's Capital Markets unit currently offers syndicated loans, private
debt placements, interest rate risk management and merger and acquisition
advisory services.  The affiliation with EVEREN allows for an expansion of
this product array into underwritten securities for corporate and municipal
entities.  In addition, the affiliation with EVEREN will provide Firstar with
an expanded inventory of fixed-income securities.
    Through a staff of more than 265 experienced professionals, EVEREN's
capital markets division serves the capital needs of corporations and
governments, as well as the interests of investors through a range of
activities, including investment banking, trading, institutional sales and
research of equity, taxable fixed-income and municipal securities.  The firm
focuses on middle market and emerging growth companies in seven key
industries:  consumer/retail, financial services, health care,
industrial/capital goods, real estate, technology and telecommunications.
    EVEREN Securities ranks among the 10 largest national full-service
brokerage firms in the U.S.  EVEREN serves individual, corporate, municipal
and institutional clients through an integrated network of more than 1,300
investment consultants in 135 offices.  The firm combines the capital markets
resources of a large national organization with the personalized service and
dedication of a smaller firm.  Currently, EVEREN holds more than $47 billion
of client assets in approximately 500,000 active client accounts.  EVEREN
Securities, Inc. is a member of the Securities Investor Protection
Corporation, the New York Stock Exchange and other principal exchanges.
EVEREN Securities is a subsidiary of EVEREN Capital Corporation (NYSE: EVR),
one of the largest
majority employee-owned companies in the nation.
    Firstar Corporation is a $19.8 billion company that provides a broad array
of financial services, primarily in the Upper Midwest.  Firstar distributes
banking, trust, insurance, securities brokerage and other financial services
through more than 240 banking offices in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois,
Arizona and Florida and an extensive correspondent banking network in the
Upper Midwest.  Firstar also has a significant investment management business.
Through various affiliates it has $25 billion of assets under management,
including those of the Portico family of mutual funds.  Firstar makes its
headquarters in Milwaukee, Wis.

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