Mark Varner Email and Phone Number

Responsible as the designated supervisory principal to enforce firm and regulatory compliance rules and policies over assigned branch offices. This involves the utilization of extensive electronic processing systems and exception reports to complete the supervision of and provide help to branch offices regarding client activity, firm policies, and industry regulations.

Conduct field audits of registered representatives and field management offices to ensure adherence to MWAFS policies, state and federal regulations, and Modern Woodmen guidelines. Responsible for any corrective action process for each conducted examination and assist MWAFS in an effort to reasonably comply with state and federal examination results.Instruct and assist representatives in required documentation and recordkeeping as directed by MWAFS policies and procedures. This also includes providing training and education on company policies and procedures as well as FINRA, SEC and state regulatory rules and regulations.Develop content and participate in presenting mandatory training for representatives.Review, analyze, and monitor various activities of representatives; including outside business activities, outside brokerage accounts and trading activity. This includes monthly and quarterly reviews on trading activity for areas of trade suitability on investment sales of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and annuities.Continue to develop and maintain core skills and knowledge of relevant rules, regulations, and guidelines for the securities industry.Assist the Compliance Manager on various projects. These have included assisting with field investigations, gathering information for regulatory requests, and providing insight on Compliance systems like an alert based trade suitability system.

Responsible for the managing of the Principal Review Desk with the supervision of the three other members that are a part of the department. The group is responsible for reviewing all of the trades that were executed by the financial advisors at the firm In these reviews, suitability of the trade for the particular client based on their financial data and investment objectives is being determined. The trades are also reviewed to determine if they are compliant with firm and industry rules and regulations. Trades are either approved or if further action is required, the trade is escalated to the branch manager for further action. Another function of the position is to provide secondary review of annuity transactions if the annuity transaction falls within the firm's criteria for heightened secondary review. The main focus of this review was to determine if the annuity transaction was suitable for the client based on factors like investment objectives, risk tolerance, and current financial data.

Responsible for the reviewing all of the trades that were executed by the financial advisors at my assigned branches. In these reviews, suitability of the trade for the particular client based on their financial data and investment objectives is being determined. The trades are also reviewed to determine if they are compliant with firm and industry rules and regulations. I will either approve the trade or if further action is required, the trade is escalated to the branch manager for further action. Another function of the position is to provide secondary review of annuity transactions if the annuity transaction falls within the firm's criteria for heightened secondary review. The main focus of this review was to determine if the annuity transaction was suitable for the client based on factors like investment objectives, risk tolerance, and current financial data.

Was responsible for supervision of the financial advisors I was assigned to that were in the B. Riley Independent Network. Duties included approval of new accounts by my assigned financial advisors, reviewing and approving all of the trades that were executed by my assigned financial advisors, approval for advertising items submitted by my assigned financial advisors, incoming and outgoing correspondence approvals, and annuity submission approvals. The position also involved helping to solve any operational issues that the financial advisors might be having in servicing their accounts.

Was responsible for resolving trade issues that were escalated to me by the Central Supervison Unit located at the firm's headquarters. I would have to reach out to the financial advisor responsible for the trade to gather more information regarding the trade and provide a response to the CSI manager on a timely basis. If there was an issue that involved further action then I would consult with the Complex Manager for further action. I provided guidance to financial advisors in the complex on compliance issues that were being highlighted by the firm. I assisted the Complex Administrative Manager and the Complex Operations Manager whenever they needed help as well. I provided suitability insight to financial advisors in the complex with annuities that they were putting together for their clients.

Was responsible for supervision of the producing branch managers within my assigned region. Duties included approval of new accounts by my assigned branch managers , reviewing for suitability all of the trades that were executed by my assigned branch managers, approval for advertising items submitted by my assigned branch managers, incoming and outgoing correspondence approvals, and email review for my assigned branch managers. Another function of the position is to provide secondary review of annuity transactions if the annuity transaction fell within the firm's criteria for heightened secondary review. In this function I either approve the annuity for processing, decline it, or reach out to the financial advisor for further clarification on item if I deem that the paperwork does not clearly address the item.

Was responsible for providing compliance reviews for the equity capital markets group. The position involved daily review of reports for price improvement and timely trade execution compliance for the equity trading desks. Also was involved in maintaining the spreadsheet and review of trades involving securities placed on restriction for research rating changes and investment banking transactions to stay in compliance regarding the Chinese Wall doctrine. I would also help research issues during the annual FINRA (formally NASD) trading exam and provide items requested during the exam.

Was responsible for providing the firm's branches with support in the area of cost basis. This involved research of corporate actions such as spinoffs, mergers, etc. to find the information that was used to figure the new cost basis on the involved securities and updating the cost information in the system. Was also responsible for providing monthly updating on the prices of securities not covered by the pricing service to ensure position values would show up on the monthly client statements.