Brian Kovack Launches FINRA Board Re-Election Campaign
Brian Kovack, president and co-founder of independent broker-dealer Kovack Securities Inc., is running for re-election to the mid-size firm seat on the FINRA board of governors.
Brian Kovack, president and co-founder of independent broker-dealer Kovack Securities Inc., is running for re-election to the mid-size firm seat on the FINRA board of governors. He was endorsed by Financial Services Institute earlier this week.
Kovack served a three-year term as the mid-size firm representative commencing in 2015 and was nominated by FINRA to run for re-election this year by FINRA’s nominating and governance committee. Voting has commenced for the current election and will continue until Tuesday, August 28th.
“I was elected to serve on the board of governors with a clear mandate for reform, in order to ensure that mid-size firms and their advisors had the strongest possible voice in FINRA’s rulemaking and policy processes,” said Kovak. “Three years later, I’m proud to say that, without question, I’ve helped guide FINRA toward greater transparency, efficiency and more open communication on behalf of the firms and advisors I represent.”
Kovack said that in his first term he worked with FINRA to simplify its examination process and give member firms more access to general exam findings and helped establish FINRA’s small firm helpline.
In his next term, Kovack said that he will see to it that new best interest standard regulations consider what firms and advisors require to support the needs of retail investors in an evolving landscape.
He said that he will also focus on further bolstering the efficiency and transparency of the FINRA exam process and rolling out additional tools and resources for small and mid-size firms, so they can align with new regulations in a way that suits their businesses.
Kovack served on the NASD board of governors and the FINRA interim board of governors as a mid-size firm representative in 2006. He served a three-year term on the FINRA district 7 committee from 2012 to 2014 and served a one-year term on the FINRA Regulatory Advisory Committee in 2013.
In addition, he has served as a FINRA dispute resolution arbitrator since 2003, and in 2004 completed the FINRA Institute at Wharton Program, where he earned the certified regulatory and compliance professional designation.
Kovack received a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Florida and earned master’s degree in accounting and a juris doctor from Nova Southeastern University. He has been a member of the Florida Bar and American Bar Association since 2000.
