By Ryan Kwiatkowski, 2023 STA Chair

Hello all! I’m Ryan Kwiatkowski of StoneX, and after spending more than two decades as an STA member participating on both the local and national levels, it is now my honor to serve our organization as this year’s Chairman. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching the STA reach new heights and look forward to carrying out our mission of providing a voice for our industry and its dedicated members.

Since 1934, STA and its affiliates have strived to be a rational influence on proposed changes to our markets while also representing the interests of individuals employed by the financial services industry. Today, our markets are the deepest and most liquid in the world. All would agree that this did not happen by chance – but rather by competitive and regulatory forces. Advanced developments in technology, the continuation of solid industry competition and investor protection rules have provided a vast expanded service and product offerings to all investors. We’ve seen this in action particularly for self-directed retail investors, who are able to access our markets directly with powerful investment tools and superior execution quality at low costs.

For STA, what we do this year will be no different than what we’ve done in the past – however, it will certainly be more challenging. The SEC’s equity market structure proposals announced mid-December are by definition controversial and highly disruptive. If put in place in their current form, the proposals will dramatically change how our markets function and the experience investors have. In the months ahead as firms and individuals try to navigate the significant impact of these proposals, we will do our best to be a reliable and trustworthy resource.

Finally, I would like to take a moment to convey gratitude to the firms who engage with STA and support our continuation so that we may grow successfully together. I am truly thankful to be in this role this year.

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