Registered Rep.: What's your beef with Wall Street?
Frank Congemi: That with all of the investors Wall Street has damaged, it is permitted to continually steal from the public.
RR: How do you view the role of the retail financial advisor?
FC: To provide entry-level education, assist in establishing a list of investing priorities and continually monitor and mentor clients.
RR: Why do people get into this business?
FC: To help people…make money.
RR: Are retail clients getting a better deal from financial-services companies than they used to?
FC: It's all about the client experience. Most big companies are just out of date and out of compliance. They're getting worse as competition gets fiercer.
RR: Who is your inspiration?
FC: Superman…“in a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way”
RR: You describe yourself as a whistleblower. What did you learn from that experience?
FC: A person can make a difference, and don't believe for a second that the SEC or any attorney general knows what he is doing.
RR: What kind of sales pitch would you use on Eliot Spitzer?
FC: I wouldn't try to sell him anything. I would beat him with a bat. That kid needs a lesson. He has not given $1 to investors who were ripped off. He has allowed these rogue companies to stay in business so he can collect political contributions.
RR: Alternative career?
FC: Marine construction with recycled materials: You are on the water all day and it helps the environment.
RR: Greatest victory as an advisor?
FC: I could say the work I did with Sept. 11 families, or the input I provided to the SEC on their Mutual Fund Disclosure Rule, but my greatest victories are ahead of me.
RR: Favorite activity for a Sunday?
FC: In the following order: drag racing, floating in the pool with my wife and dogs, reading.