FSI Team
Dale E. Brown, CAE
President & CEO
Dale brings more than 23 years of association management experience to FSI. For IAFP, one of FPA’s predecessor organizations, he led the government relations program and the broker-dealer program, which grew to more than 130 member firms. Dale also led the successful fight in the mid-1990s against the IRS’s attempts to force broker-dealers to reclassify independent contractor representatives as statutory employees. In both IAFP and FPA, Dale played a critical role in the senior management team and brings broad leadership experience to FSI in his role as President & CEO.
Keith Kelly
Executive Vice President & COO
Keith serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer for FSI. Prior to FSI, he served as president at Mutual of Omaha Investor Services. Keith also worked for more than five years as vice president and chief operations officer for Nationwide Financial Network and as director of operations and product management at Genworth Financial Investment Services. He also held positions at GE Asset Management as a manager of marketing and product management and Dreyfus Funds in sales and marketing. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising and Public Relations at the New York Institute of Technology.
David T. Bellaire, Esq.
General Counsel & Director of Government Affairs
David has more than 18 years of broker-dealer compliance, legal, and operations experience. Most recently, he was vice president of operations and general counsel at Securities Service Network, Inc. He also previously was compliance manager and special investigations attorney with InterSecurities, Inc., assistant director of compliance at Commonwealth Financial Network, Inc. and assistant to the executive director at the Institute of Certified Financial Planners (ICFP). David received a B.S. in business management from Providence College and a JD from the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law. He holds the series 7, 24, 53, 63, and 65 licenses and is admitted to the state bar of Massachusetts and Tennessee.
Chris Paulitz
Managing Director, Communications & Media Relations
Chris is a veteran of Capitol Hill, spending more than a decade in presidential and congressional campaigns, working as a spokesman and strategic advisor for both U.S. House and Senate leadership offices, the Republican National Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Bush administration. After directing the communications department for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chris ended his public service as Senior Advisor to former U.S. Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio. For the last two years before joining FSI, he served as Senior Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs for the Insured Retirement Institute. Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and journalism from The Ohio State University.
Kevin Whitehead
Director of Corporate Relations
Kevin Whitehead has more than 18 years of experience working with and for independent broker-dealers and financial advisors. Most recently, he served as the Director of National Accounts for Enterprise Fund Distributors, Inc., an AXA Financial company. He also served Enterprise as Director of College Planning and Director of Marketing.
Kevin received a B.S. in Business Administration from Tennessee Technological University in 1987. He entered the financial services industry in 1991 as a financial advisor and obtained the CFP® designation in 1993.
Matthew L. Schwartz, Esq.
Government Affairs Counsel
As Government Affairs Counsel, Matthew tracks regulatory and legislative developments at FINRA and the SEC. He also monitors state and federal legislation that could have an impact on FSI members. He takes an active role in FSI’s advocacy efforts, and is FSI’s expert on state regulatory and legislative matters.
Prior to joining FSI, Matthew served as an attorney in AEGON/TransAmerica’s corporate legal department where he handled a variety of issues including monitoring and tracking regulatory proposals, organizing compliance efforts in response to SEC and FINRA audits and investigations, and conducting operational compliance reviews. Prior to his time with AEGON/TransAmerica, he worked as a staff attorney in NASD’s Office of Dispute Resolution managing arbitration proceedings. Matthew earned his JD, cum laude, at Nova Southeastern University, and his B.S. in criminology from Florida State University.
Ryan C. Caruso
Government Affairs Manager
Ryan Caruso brings more than 10 years of experience in governmental affairs to FSI. Most recently Ryan served as government affairs manager with The Financial Services Roundtable where he worked with the Housing Policy Council for over 4 years. Prior to this experience, he was a congressional aide in the Office of Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and as a legal clerk for the U.S. Department of Justice at the Office of the United States Attorney in Tampa, Florida.
A Florida native, Ryan is a graduate from the University of South Florida where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He received a postgraduate degree in International Politics from the University of Glasgow in Glasgow, Scotland. Additionally, he received his professional lobbying certificate from The American League of Lobbyists in Washington, D.C.
Whitney Ward
Manager of Corporate Relations
Whitney serves as Manager of Corporate Relations for FSI. As an undergraduate, Whitney worked to increase membership at Seminole Boosters, Inc., the non-profit organization that funds all Florida State University athletics. After graduating with a BA from FSU, Whitney received her JD from Stetson University College of Law and is licensed to practice law in Georgia. Prior to joining FSI, Whitney worked for the Supreme Court of Georgia where she was able to build and maintain relationships with the Justices, the Clerk, and various state leaders in Georgia.
Tiffany Boykin
Membership Operations Director
As Web Site and Database Manager, Tiffany is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of FSI's membership database as well as maintaining the aesthetic and content quality of the FSI web site. Tiffany frequently interacts with IT vendors and technical support teams as well as works closely with the Membership and Marketing teams on special projects and tasks.
After graduating from The George Washington University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, Tiffany moved to Atlanta in 2007 and later joined the FSI team in November of that same year.
Brenda Stone
Member Services Coordinator
As Member Services Coordinator, Brenda is responsible for the integrity of the FSI database, including, accurate processing of event registrations, membership dues, account receivables, account payables, various reporting and record changes. She also answers FSI's main telephone line, assists members with membership and web log-in questions and helps fellow FSI staff with special projects on an as-needed basis. Brenda has more than thirteen years of non-profit experience.
Rosa Best
Member Services
Rosa works in the Member Services area of FSI. She assists with the maintenance of the member records in the FSI database, provides administrative support to members of the FSI staff, and assist members with any questions they may have regarding FSI Web conferences and live meetings.
Rosa received her B.S. in Business Administration from North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC. She then attended graduate school at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC and received a M.S. in Guidance and Counseling. She has more than 30 years’ business experience working with non-profit associations and training adults in the computer business environment.