Press Release

February 13, 2009

RAYMOND JAMES RECOGNIZED FOR
GENDER DIVERSITY IN BOARD ROOM

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Raymond James Financial, Inc. (NYSE-RJF) has been recognized by the Women’s Executive Leadership (WEL), a Florida-based organization that advocates, educates and connects accomplished women, for having two or more female directors on their board. The announcement was made at the WEL 2008 Corporate Salute breakfast held February 11 in Hollywood, Fla. Sherry Barrat, executive vice president for Northern Trust Corporation and a member of the board of directors for FPL Group, Inc., was the keynote speaker.

Raymond James was one of just 16 Florida companies recognized for their board diversity. Anne Bedinger, a financial advisor with Raymond James & Associates Wealth Wellness Group of Boca Raton, Fla., accepted the award on behalf of the firm.

The female directors on Raymond James board are Shelley G. Broader and Susan N. Story, and, until she resigned in April 2008 to accept the position of chief administrative officer with the firm, Angela Biever.

Since 2008, Broader has served as president and chief operating officer of Michaels Stores, Inc. a national arts and crafts retailer. Prior to that, she spent five years as president and chief executive officer of Sweetbay Supermarkets and its predecessor Kash n’ Karry. Story is president and chief executive officer of Gulf Power Company, a subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the largest producers of electricity in the United States.

“We believe that 2009 represents a year in which women leaders can begin to rewrite the direction of America’s corporate environment,” said Cindy Kushner, president and founder of

WEL. “Companies that embrace gender diversity, both in the executive suite and in the Board room will be more likely to succeed in today’s challenging economic period.”

About Raymond James Financial

Raymond James Financial (NYSE-RJF) is a Florida-based diversified holding company providing financial services to individuals, corporations and municipalities through its subsidiary companies. Its three wholly owned broker/dealers, (Raymond James & Associates, Raymond James Financial Services and Raymond James Ltd.) and Raymond James Investment Services Limited, a majority-owned independent contractor subsidiary in the United Kingdom, have a total of more than 5,000 financial advisors serving approximately 1.9 million accounts in approximately 2,200 locations throughout the United States, Canada and overseas. In addition, total client assets are approximately $170 billion, of which approximately $28 billion are managed by the firm’s asset management subsidiaries.

About Women Executive Leadership

WEL advocates, educates and connects accomplished executive women. Through extensive networking opportunities and educational workshops, the organization helps prepare female leaders for corporate Board and executive suite positions. WEL enables women to raise their profile and move to the forefront of executive search opportunities. Its signature event, Corporate Salute, provides an important advocacy platform that brings necessary attention to the landscape of gender diversity in the corporate world. All qualified members from the corporate sector, private enterprises and not-for-profit organizations are encouraged to join WEL. To download a copy of the 2008 Census of Women Directors and Executive Officers visit www.womenexecutiveleadership.com.

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For more information, contact Anthea Penrose at 5283.
Please visit the Raymond James Press Center at raymondjames.com/media.