CXG - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Broker Dealer CEO
Alvaro Pereyra is a seasoned C-level executive bringing more than 15 years of experience as the CEO of multiple FINRA-regulated broker-dealers and fintech startups. Mr. Pereyra's unique experience lends itself to commanding the "Launch" and "Growth" phases of the broker-dealer life cycle, where he specializes in bringing firms to positive revenue after our team achieves successful regulatory approvals.
Prior to joining CXG, Mr. Pereyra led several broker-dealers through to profitability, both small and mid-sized ventures alike. He also spent significant time standing up app-based fintech services operations as the CEO of firms such as Passfolio Securities, and Vestfi Inc. Notable achievements include merging online broker-dealers, expanding access to U.S. financial assets for global clients, consolidating global investment portfolios, and managing full-service broker-dealers within the large financial institutional settings.
Mr. Pereyra is a Harvard University Alumnus, where he earned a Master's Degree in Finance and Macroeconomics and holds Series 7, 24, 99 & 66 licenses.
Amedeo Melella serves as an accountant on CXG's Outsourcing Team. He works to ensure all financials are reviewed, necessary documents are prepared, and the correct requirements are met for FinOp and other FINRA filings for our outsourcing clientele.
Mr. Melella holds a unique background in the financial industry, working in both public and private accounting for more than a decade. He's held both staff accounting and Controller positions for small and mid-sized companies.
Mr. Melella was born and raised in Italy before immigrating to the United States. He is fluent in three (3) languages-Italian, Spanish, and English. Mr. Melella holds an M.B.A. in accounting from St. Joseph's College in N.Y.
Angela Ekpa joined the CXG Team in 2021. As the Human Resources Manager, she focuses on building strong relationships, providing support, and enhancing the experience for the entire team. With a blend of creativity and practicality, Angela brings significant value to CXG's operations.
With an extensive career, Angela has gained valuable management experience across various HR roles in both small and mid-sized companies. When she's not supporting the CXG team, Angela enjoys staying engaged with the latest trends in human resources and the financial services industry.
Brett Schoneman has over 30 years experience running the marketing operations for corporations in many verticals, including technology, legal, and service-based organizations. He's held Director of Marketing, CMO, Creative Director and Vice President roles with major law firms, multiple middle market technology companies, and a national, mass tort advertising agency promoting many famous mass tort cases for leadership law firms. Mr. Schoneman has helped several companies go public during his role as their marketing leader.
Brett Schoneman has spent his marketing career at the forefront of technology and forward-thinking ideologies. Beginning as a beta tester for the world's largest independent computer hardware and software testing company, he was able to experience technology before it was released to the public. This included beta testing the world's first laptop computer. Mr. Schoneman enjoys working with talented teams throughout the world, whether it's working on creative marketing campaigns or building long-term complex marketing and IT projects.
Mr. Schoneman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from University of Phoenix, graduating with honors.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance
- Director of Finance and Client Services
Brian Zwolak is a seasoned Director of Finance and Client Services with over twenty five (25) years of broad finance and administration experience. As an executive, Mr. Zwolak has a passion for overcoming complex obstacles via a multi-faceted, problem-solving approach. He has also spent significant time as an auditor, providing experience to a wide array of business models and practices in for-profit, non-profit and governmental entities.
Prior to joining CXG, Mr. Zwolak served as CFO in the middle market healthcare space providing executive oversight to management, finance, labor relations, and regulatory compliance matters. He also has significant experience with governmental agencies such as NYSOMH, OTDA, HUD and NYSDOH. Additionally, Mr. Zwolak has served as an auditor and accountant for several mid-sized accounting firms.
Mr. Zwolak holds a B.S. from ILR School at Cornell University, an M.B.A. in accounting, and is involved in several local civic organizations.
I have over 20 years of expertise in the financial services business, navigating clients and investment companies through the complex process of establishing a successful broker dealer firm in this changing regulatory environment. My approach stresses accuracy and honesty, and I have a strong reputation as a trustworthy and experienced advisor in the broker dealer and compliance field.
My focus is to help customers find solutions to complex issues in creating a successful and compliant broker dealer. I am committed to becoming a partner for my clients in this experience.
Christopher Driscoll brings two decades of business and investment experience across several market sectors and geographies. Trained in both business and law, Mr. Driscoll has held executive roles at several investment banks across the country, heads a private equity group based in NY, and is considered an advisor to senior business leaders based in the U.S. He is the founder of CXG, dedicating the past ten (10) years to developing one of the industry's leading regulatory compliance and outsourcing programs. He also founded our sister company, BrokerDealerForSale.com, the first and only platform dedicated to facilitating broker-dealer transactions, and Pre-IPO Street, Inc., a broker-dealer dedicated to private capital transactions.
During his CXG tenure, Mr. Driscoll has held the role of CEO of nearly a dozen registered broker-dealers. Today at CXG, he spends his time teaching and advising other broker-dealer executives, and working complex transactions and regulatory matters. Prior to founding CXG, Mr. Driscoll held the role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Whitewood Group Inc., one of our country's oldest investment banks, where he oversaw the firms buy-side private equity operation, focusing on growth capital transactions. Mr. Driscoll was also directly responsible for the development and senior oversight of the firm's trading and clearing facility, servicing transactions in equities, options, bonds, and other instruments. Prior to his role at Whitewood, Mr. Driscoll spent several years as a private equity sponsor, engaging and analyzing dozens of transactions, ranging from early-stage growth investments to later stage leveraged buyouts. Since 2005, Mr. Driscoll has held a number of senior compliance positions, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) and FinOp, at several mid-sized registered broker-dealers and FINRA members. Additionally, he has held seats on the Board of Directors of privately held companies.
Mr. Driscoll holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Hofstra University where he graduated with distinction and second in his class, as well as a bachelor's degree in Management where he received Delta Mu Delta and Phi Beta Capa honors. He also holds a J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Series 7, 24, 4, 79, 53, 27, 99 and 66 licenses, and is actively involved in several local civic organizations.
Christopher Driscoll brings two decades of business and investment experience...
Brian Zwolak
Director of Finance and Client Services
Brian Zwolak is a seasoned Director of Finance and Client...
Job Titles:
- Chief Compliance Officer
- Compliance Officer
Gerald Gibbons is an experienced Chief Compliance Officer with an extensive background in the financial industry. He has worked in the industry for over twenty-five (25) years and brings our clients a unique approach and view from the many sales, operations and compliance positions he has held throughout his career.
Prior to his role at CXG, Mr. Gibbons was the Senior Compliance Officer at New York Life/NYLIFE Securities, where he worked as a specialist in Advertisement/Marketing Review and Internal Audit. Mr. Gibbons was 2 nd in command of compliance at American Portfolios, tasked with supervising all aspects of advisory and broker-dealer compliance for 500+ financial professionals. He was the agency compliance officer for Guardian Life/Park Avenue Securities, an office of 300+ representatives and advisors. Mr. Gibbons also held compliance roles at TD Waterhouse and Datek Online, where he was responsible for ESOP programs, corporate actions, international trade surveillance, and served as a registered options principal.
Hanna Lee is a Client Advisor at CXG, often serving as the first point of contact for clients navigating the complexities of the broker-dealer space. She brings a uniquely well-rounded perspective, shaped by a diverse professional background across the music, healthcare, and technology sectors before transitioning into finance. Hanna holds a Bachelor's degree from the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, a Master's degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a certificate in Full-Stack Web Development from The George Washington University.
She's known for her integrity, reliability, and commitment to putting clients first. Her approachable demeanor builds trust and ensures clients feel supported at every step. Fluent in Korean, Hanna is able to serve a broader and more diverse clientele with both cultural and linguistic fluency.
Compliance consulting, broker-dealer services, CCO and FINOP outsourcing, and so much more. CXG is an engine for growth. We help small to mid-size firms compete and grow. Leading talent and proven expertise, at a fraction of in-house costs.
Job Titles:
- Broker Dealer Specialist
- Dealer Specialist
Isaac Lee is a Broker Dealer Specialist and attorney at Compliance Exchange Group (CXG). He holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) and a Securities Law Program certificate from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. His legal experience spans regulatory compliance with FINRA and NFA, securities, commodities, acquisitions, banking, and digital assets, as well as litigation in family law, torts, estates, consumer protection, information privacy, and the RICO Act.
Before joining CXG, Mr. Lee co-founded and expanded a state-of-the-art dental milling laboratory, overseeing its growth to two locations. Beyond law and business, he holds Bachelor (B.M.) and Master (M.M.) degrees in Classical Guitar Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. A first-place winner of an international guitar competition, he has performed at the Kennedy Center and for audiences in the United States and Poland.
Fluent in Korean, Mr. Lee's well-rounded background in law, business, and music offers a unique and comprehensive perspective in his role at CXG. He is admitted to practice law in Washington, D.C.
Max Lee is a Client Advisor specializing in guiding entrepreneurs and financial professionals through the complex process of establishing their own Broker-Dealers with FINRA. Relying on CXG's comprehensive approach that includes outsourced CEO, CCO, FinOp, and affiliate Broker-Dealer services, Max provides a seamless path to regulatory approval and operational success.
Prior to his current role, Max spent over a decade as a Financial Advisor at top-tier firms including UBS Financial Services Inc., Morgan Stanley, and Lido Advisors LLC. His dual experience in both Broker-Dealer and Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) environments has equipped him with deep insight into wealth management, compliance, and client service, having managed hundreds of millions in client assets.
Max earned degrees and certifications from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), the College for Financial Planning, and the Yale School of Management. His professional journey is deeply rooted in personal inspiration: the son of genocide survivors, Max grew up watching his parents self-educate themselves to rebuild their lives in a new country through the teachings of renowned financial advisors, sparking a lifelong passion for finance and empowerment through knowledge.
Michael Cardello has over thirty (30) years of broker-dealer compliance, financial reporting, and operations experience serving in a variety of management and executive roles over the past three (3) decades. Prior to his time at CXG, Mr. Cardello served as the Dealer Manager for several registered/unregistered offerings including Regulation D offerings, international offerings, and mutual funds. His executive roles include thirty-five (35) years as a Financial & Operations Principal (FinOp) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO), coupled with over twenty-five (25) years as a compliance professional and Chief Compliance Officer (CCO).
Mr. Cardello served as the CCO and Secretary for Spencer Trask Ventures, Inc., as well as the CCO and CFO at Lightstone Securities, LLC. Prior roles include his tenure as CCO for Terra Capital Markets, LLC, and its related funds, Terra Income Advisors, LLC; Terra Fund Advisors, LLC; and Terra REIT Advisors, LLC. Mr. Cardello also served as an Adjunct Professor of Accounting at Farmingdale State University's College of Technology as well as the Senior Compliance Examiner at the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., ("NASD") for FINRA New York District 12 (now District 10).
Mr. Cardello holds a B.A. in history and an M.B.A. in public accounting and taxation from St. John's University. He currently holds Series 7, 24, and 27 licenses.
Paul Stache has over twenty-five (25) years of compliance, financial reporting, and operations experience in the asset management, brokerage, commodities, and mutual fund industries, in executive and leadership roles for firms with multiple regulatory registrations. This includes over twenty (20) years as the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) of firms registered with the SEC, FINRA, and NFA.
Most recently, as the Vice President at State Street Bank, he led the integration of all policies, supervisory procedures, and processes specifically in the areas of anti-money laundering (AML), broker-dealer (BD), employee compliance, and privacy for State Street Global Advisers prior to and subsequent its acquisition of GE Asset Management (GEAM) in 2016. He also managed the on-boarding of all GEAM's institutional clients on to State Street's AML platform to ensure conformity with their AML, CIP, and KYC policies and procedures. Prior to the acquisition, Mr. Stache was the Senior Compliance Officer and CCO of the broker-dealer at GEAM for ten (10) years. During this period his responsibilities also included oversight for compliance activities in areas such as AML, employee compliance, privacy, commodities, and futures activities across the organization's multiple registered entities. In other roles prior to GEAM, Mr. Stache served as both CCO and Chief Operating Officer (COO) at OBEX Securities (BD) and OBEX Investments (IA); SVP and director of asset management and brokerage operations at Prime Financial Services (BD) and Asset and Financial Management Planning (IA) where he was responsible for five (5) departments and a staff of forty-four (44). Mr. Stache also was the President and CCO of Ashland Global Securities, a BD he started catering to asset management and corporate/public retirement plans providing primarily execution (equity/fixed income), soft dollar, and research related services.
Mr. Stache holds an MBA in financial management and investments from Adelphi University and a BBA in finance and economics from Iona College. He also holds Series 3, 4, 7, 24, 27, 32, 52, 53, 73, 79, and 99 FINRA/NFA licenses.
Job Titles:
- Compliance Officer
- Compliance Officer / Priya
Priya Ravishankar is an experienced compliance professional with over 20 years of diverse experience in the financial industry and expertise in regulatory oversight, risk management, and financial compliance. She served as the Chief Compliance Officer at Carta Capital Markets, LLC, where she led the compliance program for the fintech broker-dealer that operated an alternative trading system (ATS) facilitating trading in private company securities. During her tenure, Ms. Ravishankar managed key regulatory relationships with FINRA and the SEC, designed internal processes to ensure regulatory adherence, and played a critical role in establishing compliance frameworks, managing testing and training programs, and ensuring the firm's policies evolved with regulatory changes.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Ravishankar was a registered representative at Mutual Securities, Inc., where in addition to providing services to institutional and retail clients she developed internal compliance procedures, managed conflicts of interest, and oversaw anti-money laundering (AML) and Know-Your-Customer (KYC) obligations. Additionally, she served as Senior Compliance Officer and Director of Investment Operations at Steel Partners Holdings LP, overseeing both investment and compliance programs, and partnering cross-functionally on SEC filings and regulatory inquiries. Her deep experience across compliance, trading, and risk management is complemented by her certifications in anti-money laundering (AML) and extensive industry licensing. Ms. Ravishankar holds her Series 7, 14, 24, 57, 63 and 99 licenses, is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) and received her BA from NYU.
Job Titles:
- Director of Growth and Operations
Raffaele Gerace has over 20 years' experience in sales, including most of the time in the financial sector. Early in his career, Mr. Gerace knew he wanted to be a provider of "solutions" rather than a "sales guy", so he focused on providing products to consumers that would fill a need. This approach has allowed him to best serve his clients. Raffaele understands that running a successful brokerage means having satisfied clients not just today, but well into the future.
Mr. Gerace has taken this experience and applied it to scalable teams and replicable processes with a client-first approach. Raffaele wanted to expand his knowledge in other sectors including group health and insurtechs, spending several years building up successful sales processes. This experience helped in rounding out his knowledge of brokers' needs, which brought him to CXG. Having spent time with sales, marketing and operations allows Mr. Gerace to see the entire process, which enables the maximization of efficiencies and success. All this translates into a smooth and fulfilling experience for the clients. Raffaele Gerace is using this experience to guide our clients to a successful journey!
Sarah Russell is proficient in all duties of FinOp such as record retention storage of financial data, including daily back ups, bank reconciliations and monthly bank reconciliations, FinOp registrations as Series 27 FinOp, financials preparation and review of monthly financial statements, Net Capital Computation of monthly net capital, Focus Report preparation and filing of monthly/quarterly Focus Reports, SSOI quarterly SSOI filing, Form Custody quarterly Form Custody Filing, SIPC Computation of semi-annual SIPC.
Wade serves as Senior Client Advisor to the firm's Growth Department, bringing a friendly, team-driven attitude to his role, and is ready to welcome new clients onto the platform while also completing various behind-the-scenes projects.
Prior to joining BDFS/CXG, Wade gained experience working as an assistant in the Office of General Counsel at Abilene Christian University, as well as 3 years in the sales industry. Wade obtained his B.S. in Criminal Justice in May of 2021 from Liberty University.