Compliance Consultant Services

With more than 80 years of hands-on industry experience, BD Compliance Associates proudly offers comprehensive compliance consulting services to Broker/Dealers and Registered Investment Advisors.

Owners and entrepreneurs understand that balancing the ever-changing regulatory challenges confronting the industry with growth and profitability is not an easy task. Every day you deal with hundreds of clients who need help in making critical financial decisions, human resources and employee issues, sales and marketing, portfolio management, accounting and finance, and compliance regulations that are constantly changing.

With the increasing demands of the regulators and an industry-wide shortage of experienced and knowledgeable compliance professionals to hire, many Broker/Dealers and RIAs have chosen to engage third-party compliance consultant services. The team of industry veterans with B/D Compliance Associates, Inc. is squarely focused on the current compliance landscape including FINRA and SEC rulemaking, FinTech solutions, enforcement actions, and examination priorities. Hiring an expert compliance consulting solution allows you to focus on the other aspects of running your business with the peace of mind that you are better protected.

Compliance Checklist

Here are some ways you can enhance your overall compliance program through B/D Compliance Associates, Inc.:

Create an Annual Compliance Calendar to remind your CCO of important filing dates and deadlines and to spread out compliance initiatives evenly over the year.

□ Take advantage of our Second Opinion Program to get a fresh perspective on your written policies and procedures. If it’s been more than a year since you last revisited your procedures, this is a must.
□ Training associates on their critical role in Anti-money Laundering, Cybersecurity, recordkeeping, regulation, and personal responsibilities as associated persons. The vast majority of compliance lapses are the direct result of human error and a lack of proper training.
□ Conduct a risk assessment to determine which areas of the business and daily practices are the most likely to result in regulatory scrutiny, sanctions, or client disputes, and make recommendations on how to mitigate risk.
□ Outsourced CCO functions. Unburden the compliance functions from the firm’s rainmakers by offloading compliance functions, in whole or in part, to a seasoned industry expert.
□ Independent Internal Audit and Testing. Some regulations now require that registrants conduct independent reviews of their AML program, their annual FINRA Rule 3130 certification, and their SEC-mandated annual Rule 206(4)-7 review with the assistance of a qualified examiner who is not involved in the day-to-day supervision of the firm.
□ Assistance with Form BD, Form ADV, Form U4, Form U5, FOCUS Reports, and similar regulatory filings.
□ Conducting OSJ audits and Branch Office examinations remotely or in person.
□ Advertising, marketing, and email surveillance, testing, and supervision.
□ Cybersecurity and Business Continuation Preparedness Testing.
□ Acting as the point person for all the questions and queries related to the compliance program. Provide solutions to challenges on a need basis.
□ Documenting all compliance processes and preparing for any examinations or reviews by the regulatory bodies.

Attributes of a Qualified Compliance Consultant

An intimate knowledge of regulation, including FINRA Rules, The Investment Advisers Act of 1940, The Investment Company Act of 1940, State Blue Sky Laws, and the Securities and Exchange Acts of 1933 and 1934. The Consultant should be well-versed in regulatory building blocks and have the resources to research specific questions and offer workable solutions.
A long industry history of successfully discharging compliance responsibilities and working with various regulatory agencies.
A willing advocate and partner to complement the existing compliance and supervisory efforts of the firm.
A valuable resource to suggest enhancements to policies and procedures to streamline and simplify compliance.
A commitment to constantly updating their familiarity with the ever-changing rules of the SEC and FINRA as well as industry FinTech solutions.
The ability to effectively communicate with the Senior Management of the firm and make cost-effective suggestions to improve existing operational and compliance interfaces.
A proactive voice that foresees the potential pitfalls and challenges facing the firm before they result in a regulatory action or civil litigation.
The ability to identify risks, prioritize them, find solutions, and communicate options to Senior Management.

Why Outsourced Compliance Works

There are three primary benefits of hiring outsourced compliance resources. First, the Broker/Dealer or RIA benefits from obtaining immediate expert assistance from a seasoned professional without the challenges of trying to hire and retain full-time employee resources. The registrant can get the help it needs without the long-term commitment of employing additional full-time staff.

Secondly, even the best compliance team can benefit from getting a new perspective and fresh view of the existing written policies and procedures and day-to-day supervisory efforts of the firm. Our Second Opinion Program is crafted for the unique business of each of our clients to ensure that we are providing valuable feedback on the risks facing the firm as well as opportunities to reduce costs and support growth. Increasingly, regulators are favoring independent compliance testing to ensure a proper system of controls, checks, and balances over testing conducted by in-house compliance teams who may be biased or unwilling to make, or accept, changes.

Lastly, many owners and entrepreneurs of mid-sized and boutique registrants are saddled with simultaneously growing the firm, managing portfolios, conducting daily operations, and ensuring diligent compliance with the rules, among other things. Outsourcing some or all of the compliance and operations responsibilities can free up the rainmakers to concentrate on growing and managing the firm by doing the things that entrepreneurs do best.

Why Should You Choose Us?

B/D Compliance Associates Inc. is a reputable organization that specializes in finding practical and cost-effective solutions for all your compliance needs.

We are a group of expert industry-seasoned veterans who have a vast expanse of regulatory experience and knowledge. In short, we’ve been there before. We know how to work with the regulators, how to quickly uncover risks, and how to provide solutions for implementation that will help to protect the firm from scrutiny.

We also don’t come at a potential issue with cookie-cutter solutions. Far too often other consulting firms try to take off-the-shelf policies and procedures and implement changes without considering the impact on the company and the liability they create. Our goal is to understand the unique workings of your company and get first-hand knowledge of what you need so we can deliver carefully curated solutions.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Compliance Consultant?

Our aim is to be extremely competitive with our pricing. We understand that hiring a compliance consultant is an investment in managing risk, so we ensure that our prices are comparable with the ongoing market rates. No sticker shock. We work on a project basis for a flat fee, on an hourly basis with a written estimate on the front end, or on a monthly basis for ongoing services. You choose how you want to engage us depending on your needs. We will always provide a written proposal to you after we better understand your firm and your needs and before we begin services.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Carrie Wisniewski, CM&AA, CFCS, CRCP™, CSCP™, CFE, MBA

Carrie Wisniewski is the President/Founder of BD Compliance Associates Inc. She has 35+ years of experience in the securities industry. She has an MBA degree in Finance and has gained several notable designations within the industry including Certified Fraud Examiner, Certified Financial Crimes Specialist, Certified Regulatory Compliance Professional™, and Certified Securities Compliance Professional™. Carrie is a former Senior Examiner with FINRA and is well regarded in the industry for her vast understanding of complex compliance and FinOp matters.

Tiffany Messenger, Chief Administrative Officer

Tiffany Messenger serves as the Chief Administrative Officer and manages all registration/licensing issues for the company and its independent contractors. With nearly 20 years of experience within the industry, Tiffany is well-versed in the registration and licensing challenges facing Broker/Dealers and Registered Investment Advisors.

Bart Wisniewski, Executive Assistant

Bart Wisniewski is an Executive Assistant with BD Compliance Associates Inc. and serves as a Compliance Officer with Bridge Capital Associates, Member FINRA and SIPC. Bart holds FINRA qualifications including Series 63, Series 82, and Series 24.

Let's Connect

If our vision resonates with you, please contact us today to get further details about the services we offer and discuss how we can specifically help you. Reach out to us and let’s talk about how we can help protect your firm.

B/D Compliance Associate, Inc.

770-923-9632

https://www.bd-compliance.com/

Carrie@bd-compliance.com

5726 Williamsburg Drive NW

Norcross, GA 30093