Skip to content
AltsWire
Click Here to Subscribe to Our Free Daily News Updates

FSI Announces 2026 Board of Directors, Executive Committee

By Mari Nicholson

FSI Announces 2026 Board of Directors, Executive Committee

The Financial Services Institute, an advocacy organization for independent financial services firms and advisers, announced five new members to its board of directors as well as named its 2026 executive committee. The appointments reflect a broad cross-section of leaders from across the independent financial services community.

The five new members are:

  • Brian Kovack, co-founder and chief executive officer, Kovack Financial;
  • Kathy Leckey, president and chief operating officer, Lincoln Investment;
  • Frank Smith, CEO, Private Advisor Group;
  • Dale Brunk, senior financial adviser, Landmark Financial; and
  • Marc Squires, head of sales and relationship management, Fidelity Clearing, Fidelity Investments.

According to FSI, its board plays a critical role in guiding the organization’s strategic priorities, advocacy efforts, and member engagement as the industry continues to navigate regulatory, technological, and market-driven change.

“As we look ahead to 2026, FSI remains focused on advocating for policies that protect advisor independence, support investor choice, and promote thoughtful innovation,” said Dale Brown, FSI president and CEO. “Our board’s leadership and experience are essential as we continue this important work on behalf of our members and the clients they serve.”

The board also elected five of its directors to leadership positions in 2026. The directors elected to the upcoming committee are:

  • Board chair: Christine Byrne, partner and wealth adviser, Back Cove Financial;
  • Vice chair (chair in 2027): Adam Malamed, CEO, Sanctuary Wealth Group;
  • Immediate past chair: Tim Stinson, president, Cetera Advisor Networks;
  • FSI PAC chair: Von Cook, managing partner, Client Centric Advisors; and
  • Finance committee chair: Shannon Reid, president and head of adviser growth and engagement, Osaic.

Byrne is the third financial adviser, and first female adviser, to serve as chair of FSI’s board in the organization’s 22-year history.

“It is my honor to serve as the 2026 chair of FSI’s board of directors,” said Byrne. “As a financial adviser, I am grateful for a community that brings our profession together around clear advocacy goals: protecting investor choice, strengthening independent advice and ensuring a practical, workable regulatory environment.”

In November 2025, FSI submitted a supplemental letter to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Paul Atkins urging the Commission to adopt formal safeguards that ensure fairness, transparency, and predictability in its enforcement practices. The letter expanded on FSI’s January 2024 white paper on recommendations to the SEC to prevent regulation by enforcement, and reaffirms FSI’s commitment to constructive engagement with regulators.

Since 2004, through advocacy, education and public awareness, FSI has promoted a more responsible regulatory environment for over 60 independent financial services firm members and their 130,000+ affiliated financial advisers – which comprise over 45% of all producing registered representatives.

Click here to visit the AltsWire directory page.

AltsWire