NIBA Journal

Insights, analysis, and updates from the National Introducing Brokers Association

Help Wanted!
Member Announcements
1 min read

Help Wanted!

Planning for the NIBA Annual Meeting, September 24 in Chicago is underway. If you would like to serve on the planning committee, please contact Mike Burke, mikeb@highgroundtrading.com or Melinda Schramm, melinda@futuresrep.com. This September's meeting will include five business sessions, a demo hall and a networking cocktail reception. Topics for two of the business sessions are already being developed and a committee is being formed. To serve on the committee, you must be able to attend planning sessions and help out onsite during the event. If you cannot serve on the committee, your suggestions for topics and speakers are still welcome - just send them to Mike. Thanks to the following members who have already volunteered: Tom Sandy, Rice Dairy John Nelson, Applied Research Mike Coglianese, NIBA Board of Directors Steve Petillo, NIBA Board of Directors Mike Burke, NIBA Board of Directors

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June Chairman's Letter
Member Announcements
3 min read

June Chairman's Letter

Dear Members - The last few weeks have been busy for the NIBA. Just as we closed out a very successful member meeting in New York City, we stepped up work on the June 18 event co-chaired with DePaul University, Chicago and we formed a planning committee for our Annual Membership Meeting, September 24. Planning and implementing educational events is one part of the NIBA mission. Keeping up with, and notifying you about regulation update and change is another part. This month the NFA announced a proposal to reduce the number of members on its board of directors. For many years, it has been suggested that at 39 members, the NFA board was too large to get anything done in a timely, meaningful way. Overall, our members support the reduction proposal which leaves both IB positions intact but reduces the number of CTA/CPO representatives slightly to four with one of...

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It's Not Too Late to Register for April 30!
Member Announcements
1 min read

It's Not Too Late to Register for April 30!

Registration for the April 30 event at the New York Athletic Club will close on April 28. Please register now for an afternoon of education and networking in New York City.  The afternoon's first panel will focus on the trends and influences affecting the metals and energies markets. Panel number two is an interactive discussion regarding the state of cyber-security in the futures industry. A networking cocktail reception immediately follows the business sessions. This event is free for all industry professionals, but because space is limited, registration is required. Thank you to our New York City Meeting Sponsors: CME Group, NADEX and Michael Coglianese, CPA, PC. Questions? Please contact event chairmen Rich Strait, rich@straitllc.com or Howard Rennell, hrennell@e-windom.com.

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Save-the-Date: June 18, DePaul University
Member Announcements
1 min read

Save-the-Date: June 18, DePaul University

We are delighted to announce our second annual member meeting co-sponsored with DePaul University, Chicago. This year's event will take place the afternoon of June 18 at the DePaul downtown campus (corner of Jackson Blvd. and State Street). In 2014, NIBA and DePaul University committed to a partnership with the goal of providing our membership with education and insight about the financial business from the academic point of view. Over 100 NIBA members attended last year's meeting. On June 18, industry and academic experts will present a two-session program focused on managed futures and cyber-security. Registration and the agenda will post on our website, theniba.com, the week of May 4. This meeting is complimentary for all industry professionals. Event chairmen are Dr. Carl Luft, DePaul University, cluft@depaul.edu and NIBA members Steve Petillo, petillo@coquest.com and Jerry Nolan, jnolan@countycorkllc.com.

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The NIBA in NYC
Member Announcements
2 min read

The NIBA in NYC

On April 30, 2015, the NIBA will hold our spring membership meeting at the New York Athletic Club, NYC beginning at 1:30 pm. Two business sessions and a networking cocktail reception are included. Our first session is an update of the metals and energies markets. The panel includes Dr. Mo Ahmadzaden, Managing Partner at Southold Capital, LLC which provides risk management advisory services to the metals industry. Pete Keavey, CME Group will overview the energy market at the exchange, including discussing new products. Dan Cook, NADEX will look at these two market sectors from the perspective of NADEX. During the second session, we will discuss cybersecurity risks -- what risk management rules and technology are in place now, and what to expect during the coming year. Mark Ruddy, Ruddy Law Office, PLLC of Washington, DC will moderate a panel including representatives from Compliance Supervisors and Turnkey Trading Partners. You don’t...

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Chairman's Letter
Member Announcements
2 min read

Chairman's Letter

Dear Members: Cybersecurity: The process of applying security measures to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and the availability of data. Cybersecurity attempts to assure the protection of assets, which includes data, desktops, servers, buildings, and most importantly, humans. The goal of cybersecurity is to protect the data both in transit and at rest - Wikipedia Cybersecurity issues are prime topics at both FIA and MFA conferences this spring. FINRA is conducting an assessment of its member firm’s approaches to managing cybersecurity threats as they pertain to information technology. The CFTC has stated in their 2015 budget proposal, they do not have adequate resources to monitor the infrastructure of FCMs and other registrants, including exchanges, in order to review the adequacy of those cybersecurity operations. A discussion of where we are now, and what is expected in 2015, is the focus of the second session during our April 30 meeting in New York...

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Arditti Summer Research Grant Program
Member Announcements
2 min read

Arditti Summer Research Grant Program

The Arditti Center for Risk Management at DePaul University is pleased to announce that it is now accepting proposals for its 2015 Summer Research Grant Program. The program's goal is to encourage practical and innovative research in the field of risk management. In order to promote the Center's research agenda and continue the Arditti legacy, the Center will provide summer funding for two research proposals that have a blend of theoretical and empirical applications. Proposals should be sent as one packet, and contain all three of the following materials: a cover page, a description of the proposal (at most ten pages), and the applicant’s current curriculum vitae. The Arditti Center Research Grant Committee will select a candidate whose proposal most aligns with the Center’s mission of rigorous, practical, and innovative research. The proposal and the curriculum vitae will be the two main sources of information used to evaluate the significance...

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Chairman's Letter
Member Announcements
3 min read

Chairman's Letter

Members of the NIBA - Just prior to entering the trading pit in the 1983 film “Trading Places,” Louis Winthorpe, III (as played by actor Dan Aykroyd) declares, “Well, this is it, the last bastion of pure capitalism left on earth.”  While there may have been some exaggeration in that comment, it was certainly true that just by talking to a floor clerk or being on the morning call, a broker could form an opinion about market participants and direction for any particular day, and pass that information on to customers located far from the trading floor.  On February 4, the CME Group announced it will close most of the futures trading pits in Chicago and New York by July 2. Exceptions are the S&P 500 futures pit and some options pits. CME Group sites the dwindling of open outcry volume as the primary reason for the closures. It is...

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Folow-UP: NIBA in SoCal
Member Announcements
3 min read

Folow-UP: NIBA in SoCal

NIBA’s 3rd Annual Event in southern California was held in Newport Beach, CA February 19, 2015 at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel. Over 50 industry professionals attended -- about 45% registered as CTAs, 45% as IBs and the remainder as FCMs or service providers. Twenty individuals were attending their first-ever NIBA event! Blu Putnam, Chief Economist for the CME Group presented one of two business sessions. He spoke about the economic outlook for the remainder of 2015, covering the topics of International GDP growth in China, Japan and the Euro-zone; The likelihood the Fed will raise rates in 2015; Emerging markets; and, Oil-challenged countries and their effects on U.S. growth. Patricia McDonald, Partner, Baker & McKenzie presented “Recent Tax Developments Affecting IBs and CTAs” as the second session. She highlighted several recent pieces of legislation of which registrants should be aware, and which may impact them personally as well as...

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