Independent Qualified Fiduciary Expert 

Audits | Training | Litigation Consultant | Expert Witness

practice related to issues of Suitability, Supervision, Fiduciary duty, Compensation, Valuation & Employment

History

• Chris McConnell & Associates was founded in 2003.  Believed to be among the first independent, consulting-only practices devoted to objective audits, training and analysis of fiduciary performance.  Mr. McConnell became a designated ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY AUDITOR in 2003.
  
• Over 27 years experience as expert including 19 years in the securities industry. 17 years in management, at two top Wall St. firms in national, regional and branch positions.
• Since 1983, Mr McConnell's experience includes supervision of the accounting and compensation areas of a major Wall St securities primary broker dealer private client group.  He modeled one of the first principal protection equity investments. He served on the firm's  real estate strategy executive committee, developed business models for the firm's margin, stock loan / securities lending areas and developed compliance supervisory reports for customer account reviews. In addition to extensive experience in sales management, supervision and training.  Each position or project included extensive interaction with the firm's Information Technology IT areas.
  
• Securities and insurance licenses previously held included Series 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 63 and 65; California Life Insurance, Long term care and Variable annuities.
• Mr McConnell brings a unique, unmatched background to select engagements 1) advanced fiduciary AIFA training, 2)actual hands-on major Wall St. broker dealer experience 3) BA in Economics & accounting, 4) MBA, 5) passed the CPA exam taken together help shed light upon the inner dynamics of a financial services firm, investment adviser or securities broker dealer from headquarters level through a branch office to recommendations at the brokers desk. 
  
• Informal financial incentives in addition to formal compensation arrangements are implicit every step along the way critical to interpreting events.
  
• His expertise connects public advertising, suitability, supervison, fiduciary duty, if any from account solicitation, new account application, supervisors' account application review and acceptance, agreements, statements, solicited trade analysis, broker's book of business, continuing education, workstation applications and training, compliance, services, fees, commissions in light of regulatory (e.g. State, SEC, FINRA, NYSE) compliance and supervisory policies and procedures.
• Compensation, Valuation & Employment areas of Mr McConnell's expertise include:
  • Securities, investment advisor, financial planning industry compensation expert for traders, stock brokers,  financial planners, wealth managers, portfolio managers, branch managers, regional managers, product wholesalers. 
    
  • Related areas include Retention awards, Forgiveable loans, Promissory notes, recruiting, and training and Reg SP.
    
  • Branch manager and regional manager compensation expert.
    
  • Branch, product and/or business unit (P&L) valuation and analysis, valuation of a broker's book and branch revenues forecasts
    
  • Investment product marketing, distribution; sales force and market penetration studies. 

Education, Credentials

• ACCREDITED INVESTMENT FIDUCIARY ANALYST (AIFA), Center for Fiduciary Studies, University of Pittsburgh, 2003, 2006
• BA, Economics / Accounting option, Rutgers University
• MBA, Pepperdine University
• Successfully passed the CPA exam, New York State Board of Accountancy