WASHINGTON — The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) announced today that Samuel Gaer, currently President of Tragara Alpha Partners and formerly Chief Information Officer (CIO) of NYMEX Holdings, will join the organization as CIO and Executive Vice President for Business Services. Gaer will oversee technology at FINRA, and also supervise FINRA's Transparency Services division.
Gaer will replace James Donovan, who announced earlier this month that he was leaving FINRA to return to private business.
"Sam brings 20 years of market, technology and operations experience to FINRA that will allow him to help the organization stay ahead of an ever-changing marketplace; effectively manage our data, information and technology strategy; and lead our critical transparency programs," said Richard Ketchum, Chairman and CEO of FINRA.
Gaer will start at FINRA on November 1 and report directly to Ketchum. Gaer is the founder of Tragara Alpha Partners LLC. Prior to Tragara, he spent five years at NYMEX Holdings, Inc., as CIO and executive vice president. There, he was responsible for global operations, including technology infrastructure, and played a leadership role in organizing the merger between NYMEX and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Gaer also spent a year as CEO of NYMEX Europe.
In addition to managing FINRA's data, information and technology strategy, Gaer will oversee TRACE, FINRA's corporate bond transaction reporting system.
FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. FINRA is dedicated to investor protection and market integrity through effective and efficient regulation and complementary compliance and technology-based services. FINRA touches virtually every aspect of the securities business – from registering and educating all industry participants to examining securities firms, writing and enforcing rules and the federal securities laws, informing and educating the investing public, providing trade reporting and other industry utilities, and administering the largest dispute resolution forum for investors and registered firms. For more information, please visit www.finra.org.