The Consortium Today

The Consortium was founded in 1989 and built on the philosophy that marketing and compliance can absolutely work in harmony and that this combined strategy would help build solid financial services firms. After 30 years, this vision endures today.

Our consulting expertise covers the spectrum of federal and state securities laws affecting Registered Investment Advisors (“RIAs”) and Broker/Dealers (“BDs”). Our skills encompass compliance, operations, practice management, business development, marketing, and also legal perspective. We are versed in the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules of the Securities Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as well as Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”).

We develop close consulting relationships with a select number of financial services firms located throughout the country. We provide hands-on support to financial advisers, compliance officers, and key executives of RIAs and BDs.

In addition to consulting, we offer a range of user-friendly customizable compliance resources (templates, guides, forms and research), designed to get you on the right side of securities compliance regulations – and keep you there. These products are ideal for the do-it-yourself person.

Our Team of “Professional Weightlifters”

Our “Professional Weightlifters” lift the burden of compliance off the shoulders of financial services professionals. With our recently expanded team, we do so with an even greater range of combined experience and knowledge.

Todd Sakoda

Todd brings 20+ years of experience in the financial services industry ranging from compliance and operations to business development and relationship management. His last 12 years has focused on independent registered investment advisory firms. Over his career, he has worked with independent broker-dealer advisors and bank investment programs as well.

John T. Carr

John brings an extensive legal background that has spanned over 25+ years. As the founding owner of the Carr Butterfield, LLC law firm, John represents financial service professionals throughout the country in matters with the SEC, FINRA, DOL, state securities and insurance agencies and various courts. He understands the legal/regulatory environment of the industry including a deep knowledge of ERISA matters.

Lisanne M. Butterfield

With over 25+ years of legal experience, Lisanne represents and assists small and closely-held businesses, financial services firms, and other licensed professionals through multiple jurisdictions, including federal court and FINRA, with litigation, arbitration, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement defense, recruiting matters and business transactions. She also represents RIA firms and their IARs in regulatory/governmental investigations of misconduct, and general exit strategy advice.

Lisa White

Lisa joined The Consortium in 2023 with a background in regulatory compliance matters. She has 20+ years of compliance experience within the life and health insurance, Medicare/Medicaid, annuity, and financial services industries. Prior to joining The Consortium team, she held positions focused on retail and institutional broker-dealer, investment advisor, investment company and corporate compliance matters at eMoney, Pacific Life, Nationwide and as a Compliance Officer for an SEC-registered investment advisory firm. Lisa holds a law degree from Capital University Law School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Purdue University. She also holds Series 7 and 24 registrations.

Firm History and Founder, Nancy Lininger

Nancy entered the financial services industry in 1978. She started as a stockbroker after studying marketing in school. In 1983, she switched to the compliance side of the business as Compliance Officer for a brokerage and then over to an investment advisory firm. Nancy observed growing need in the industry which led her to found The Consortium In 1989.

As one of the first few compliance consulting firms in the nation, Nancy became a “Professional Weightlifter” and filled a specialized niche. It was during these early years of The Consortium that independent RIA’s were breaking away from their broker-dealer affiliations. Nancy assisted dually registered reps, their broker-dealers, and was also there to support the industry’s initial thrust to fee-only. That trend has continued through today and, with it, The Consortium has grown to become one of the leading securities regulatory compliance consultants in the United States.

Nancy is the author of the e-book Go To CEO!™ How to Start Your Independent Investment Advisory Firm. She is also a contributing author to Guide to Investment Advisory Services (Practitioners Publishing Co., 1997) and So You Want to Be a Financial Planner (Nancy Langdon Jones, CFP, 2001). Nancy has been featured regularly in the pages of Investment News, Complinet, On Wall Street, Registered Rep and Financial Planning, along with a variety of other financial industry publications.