Ballista Adds ISE and Island ECN Veteran to Executive Management Team

Richard P. Wilkins Named Executive Vice President of Sales
NEW YORK--(Business Wire)--
Ballista, the first ever equity options liquidity pool for block
trades and delta neutral/complex transactions, announced today the
hiring of Richard P. Wilkins as Executive Vice President of Sales. In
this role, Wilkins will be responsible for the oversight and
implementation of global sales efforts as well as the facilitation of
strategic partnerships for the newly launched trading platform.

Wilkins brings to Ballista over twenty years of experience in
sales and business development positions in the capital markets.
Before Joining Ballista, Wilkins served as a director for the
International Securities Exchange (ISE) and was heavily involved in
the successful launch of the ISE stock exchange.

Prior to joining the ISE, Mr. Wilkins worked with Ballista CEO
Robert Newhouse at Island ECN as Vice President of Sales. Under Mr.
Wilkins' management, Island ECN's revenues grew to over $175 million
in just four years, while expanding the company's customer base to
over 900 clients. After Instinet's acquisition of Island ECN for over
$600 million in 2002, Mr. Wilkins was named Vice President of Sales
for the combined organization, formerly known as NASDAQ's INET.

Wilkins has also held positions at Weeden & Co, Merrill Lynch,
Standard & Poor's, and was partner of an options brokerage firm on the
floor of the American Stock Exchange.

"I am very pleased to be working with Rich again," said Ballista
CEO Robert Newhouse. "Rich's experience gives him a deep insight to
the inherent value of Ballista's platform and the unparalleled ability
to grow a new trading platform through partnerships and alliances."

"I am extremely excited to be a part of the Ballista team."
Wilkins commented. "While the options industry is currently a
different landscape than the equity markets, there still remains an
opportunity to make trading options more efficient, less fragmented,
faster, and less expensive. With the explosive growth of options
trading, Ballista is well positioned to be a leader in the evolution
of the market."

Newhouse and Wilkins, both of whom were instrumental in the
enhancement of securities trading during their time at Island ECN,
look to replicate their success at Ballista, this time in the less
mature asset class of equity options.

About Ballista

Ballista, a privately held venture conceived in early 2007, is
dedicated to advancing the execution of institutional derivative
trading in both block trades and delta-neutral/complex transactions.
The Ballista platform will come to market in June through a new
broker/dealer entity that is currently pending FINRA approval.

For more information, please visit www.BallistaEvolution.com or
contact Anthony Tavarone, Director of Business Development, at 646
307-4710 or via email at atavarone@ballistasec.com.

for Ballista
Dave Carlson
312-346-2006
dcarlson@strategicsinc.com

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