Leadership
Benjamin R. Pappas
Chief Executive Officer
As CEO of Bates Group, Ben uses his strategic planning and finance background to set direction and financial policy while also being an active participant in, and driver of, the company’s overall strategy. He previously served as Bates' Chief Operating Officer and President. Prior to joining Bates Group, Ben was Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of D.A. Davidson Companies’ Equity Capital Markets business, where he was responsible for the implementation of strategic growth initiatives and the development of an annual financial budgeting and forecasting process. He has also previously worked as an equity research analyst and strategic planning analyst focused on the technology industry, after beginning his career as a financial advisor at Merrill Lynch.
Jennifer L. Stout
Vice-Chair of the Bates Board of Directors and Senior Executive Advisor
Jennifer Stout began her Bates Group journey as a CPA at a Big Five accounting firm before being recruited to Bates Private Capital, where she grew from her first position 25 years ago as a financial analyst into the senior executive leadership role she fulfills today. Jennifer has worked at every level within our organization, from Analyst to CEO, and understands how we work, and how we can help our clients, better than anyone. Today Jennifer is a key driver of growth at the company, expanding Bates’ practice groups and service lines at every opportunity in order to ensure that Bates' clients nationally and internationally are receiving exceptional support in all challenges they face.
Alex Russell
Senior Managing Director, Regulatory & Litigation
Alex is responsible for managing cases related to complex disputes involving trust or banking entities, or cases related to investment banking or sales & trading, as well as those involving ultra-high net worth individuals. In addition, Alex is responsible for managing matters involving the assessment of economic damages. As an expert, he provides quantitative witness testimony in the Securities Litigation practice area, and substantive testimony related to valuation practices and mathematical modeling in the field of finance. Alex is an adjunct professor of finance at both Linfield College and in the Graduate School of Management at Willamette University.
Rhonda Davis, JD, CAMS, CFE
Senior Managing Director, BD-RIA Compliance
Based in Houston, Texas, Managing Director Rhonda Davis specializes in BD and IA Compliance, including annual Rule 206(4)-7 testing for investment advisers, FINRA 3120 testing, and AML independent testing. She also assists clients with FINRA Membership Applications, FINRA and SEC examinations and responses, litigation support for broker-dealers and investment advisers. Rhonda has spent nearly 25 years serving in both legal and compliance roles in the securities industry. She holds both the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) as well as the Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) designations and is an active member of the Houston Fraud Association.
Kurt Wachholz, IACCP
Managing Director, BD-RIA Compliance
Kurt Wachholz brings over 35 years of financial industry and regulatory compliance experience as a leader of Bates Group's BD-RIA Compliance team. He partners with client leadership to assess compliance risks, conduct mock exams and program reviews, and enhance policies and procedures across areas such as risk assessments, business continuity, third-party due diligence, and cybersecurity. Before joining Bates, Kurt served as Executive Compliance Consultant and Director of Education at NRS (now COMPLY) and led his own compliance consulting firm.
Hank Sanchez, Esq., LLM
Managing Director, BD-RIA Compliance
Henry “Hank” Sanchez, Jr. is a seasoned compliance and legal professional with over 30 years of securities industry experience in risk management, investment advising, financial legal issues, risk assessment, and compliance and due diligence. Before coming to Bates, Hank held senior compliance leadership roles at a consulting firm in New Orleans and with LPL Financial Corporation. Prior to this, for more than 10 years, Hank was a regulator with both the SEC and FINRA. He is also a FINRA Arbitrator. Hank is a frequent speaker at securities industry conferences and an accomplished writer, whose work has appeared in securities industry-related publications throughout his career.
David Birnbaum
Managing Director, Business Development and Strategy
David brings a passionate, focused commitment to his role at Bates Group, with an emphasis on generating new client business and expanding current practice areas. At Bates, David's leadership role includes nationwide business development and expert recruitment for our litigation, internal & regulatory investigation, regulatory enforcement and compliance practices. He brings a wealth of knowledge based on his 27 years of in-house counsel experience as the principal legal executive and adviser to Merrill Lynch’s U.S. and international wealth management businesses, where he successfully delivered legal, compliance, regulatory and business advice resulting in profitable business execution with the highest standard of integrity. David's experience comes from a vantage point that afforded him a high level of vision within a major financial institution. As a result, he brings the benefit of this experience to our clients, partnering with them to provide solutions to problems they face and suggestions for those that may not have materialized yet. David helps create the fit between what our clients need and what Bates does.
Michael Lindemann, MBA, CAMS, CCI
Managing Director
Michael Lindemann brings over 15 years of financial services and compliance leadership to Bates Group’s Fintech and Banking Compliance team. He previously served seven years as Chief Compliance Officer at Monex USA (formerly Tempus), where he led AML, legal, and licensing functions and developed enterprise-wide compliance programs. His earlier experience includes roles at Citi, Regions Financial, and Wells Fargo focused on KYC, EDD, BSA, and Patriot Act risk mitigation. Michael holds an Executive MBA from James Madison University and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist and Certified Cryptocurrency Investigator.
Peter J. Klouda
Director
Peter Klouda leads Bates Group's Securities Litigation team. Peter joined Bates in 2002 having previously worked at Merrill Lynch and a regional bank. Clients quickly noticed the extra benefit his industry experience brought to the table, allowing him to better develop case strategy with clients on securities litigation matters and to provide additional insights as a quantitative testifier. In addition to his client and case work in the retail securities litigation area, Peter provides valuable perspective to our clients externally, and provides valuable guidance to the growth of our firm internally.
Joseph J. Thomas
Director
Bates Group Director Joseph “Joe” Thomas is a senior issues expert with thirty years of securities industry compliance, supervision, operations and administration experience. He has provided quantitative and substantive witness testimony and opinions in over 100 retail securities litigation, arbitration, and court matters. While with Wells Fargo/Wachovia Securities/A.G. Edwards & Sons, as Vice President and Finance Manager/Litigation Auditor, Joe was responsible for coordinating and supervising the preparation of financial and damages analysis reports. Prior to Wells Fargo, Joe served in leadership roles at Edward Jones Investments for 17 years and acted as firm representative in arbitration hearings. He also participated in Sales Practice Examinations with the NASD and NYSE on a regular basis.
Andrew C. Daniel
Securities Litigation Expert and Consultant
Andrew began his career in the audit group of Cooper & Lybrand. In his 15+ years at Bates, Andrew played an integral role in managing securities litigation cases and investigations as well as becoming one of Bates' most experienced testifiers. Andrew was also been instrumental in driving business development, envisioning and developing new solutions we offer our clients, and expanding the practice areas Bates now offers. Andrew is a Bates expert and consultant in our Securities and Financial Services Litigation group and Data, Analyses and Analytics practice, where we are fortunate to have someone whose eyes are always trained on the horizon, making sure that Bates Group is well positioned for whatever comes next.
Greg Faucher, CAS
Managing Consultant, Insurance & Actuarial Services
Greg Faucher consults on and manages Insurance and Actuarial matters. Before joining Bates Group, Mr. Faucher was a senior consultant with LECG / Bates Private Capital Incorporated, where he used his experience in accounting and finance to provide detailed forensic analyses of account activity related to securities litigation cases. Mr. Faucher began his career as an agent/registered representative with Northwestern Mutual/Robert W. Baird & Co. where he provided professional consulting services to individuals and business owners. As leader of the Insurance and Actuarial practice, Greg is focused on delivering exceptional and cost effective solutions for our annuity, life, disability, property & casualty, employer/employee, reinsurance, captive and healthcare clients.
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