October 12, 2005

On October 11, 2005, the Connecticut Department of Banking Securities and Business Investments Division sponsored its 17th annual conference, Securities Forum 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (formerly the Radisson) in Cromwell, CT.  This informative event was attended by nearly 300 financial professionals, including broker dealers, investment advisers, financial planners, attorneys, insurance agents and accountants. 

Banking Commissioner John P. Burke provided a welcoming address to the crowd and the keynote speaker was Walter G. Ricciardi, District Administrator for the Boston District of the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

This day long event featured 9 panel presentations, which addressed a variety of timely topics, including variable annuities, the regulation of hedge funds, issues with Rule 506 private offerings, compliance issues for investment advisers, use of mediation to settle broker/customer arbitration and anti-money laundering.  Several panels also offered attendees the opportunity to meet regulators from the State Securities Division, the NASD Boston Region and the Securities and Exchange Commission Boston District Office.

A general session rounded out the day’s events, and consisted of a lively panel discussion focusing on the history and impact of federal preemption on the regulation of the securities, insurance and consumer credit industries.  Insurance Commissioner Susan F. Cogswell and Deputy Banking Commissioner Alan J. Cicchetti participated in this general session.

 “The Securities Forum is the largest annual conference put on by the Department of Banking, and I am always impressed by the response we receive from the financial community,” said Commissioner Burke.  “As a regulator I feel it is important that we keep broker-dealers, investment advisers and other financial professionals up-to-date on the regulatory changes that take place in the securities industry.  The Securities Forum does just that.”