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News Release

CFP Board Appoints Thomas A. Sporkin as Managing Director, Enforcement

Former SEC executive to lead detection, investigation and prosecution activities


December 01, 2020

CFP Board announced today the appointment of Thomas A. Sporkin to the newly created position of Managing Director, Enforcement. Sporkin will lead a team of attorneys and legal staff to modernize the detection, investigation and prosecution activities at CFP Board. Sporkin joins CFP Board on January 4, 2021, after decades of experience in enforcement activities and regulatory compliance. He will report directly to CFP Board Chief Executive Officer Kevin R. Keller, CAE.

Managing Director, Enforcement 

Sporkin will be transitioning from Buckley, LLP, where his practice focuses on providing securities related advice to boards, executives and regulated entities. Prior to joining Buckley, Sporkin spent 20 years in the Enforcement Division of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He served in various leadership roles including co-managing the Office of Internet Enforcement where he supervised investigations into all of the Division of Enforcement program areas. This effort included financial reporting, stock options backdating, insider trading, market manipulation, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, regulated entity compliance and internet-related securities fraud.

Sporkin was also tapped by SEC leadership to design, build and manage the Office of Market Intelligence, which included the Office of Market Surveillance, and the SEC’s Whistleblower program. In that role, he was responsible for the supervision of comprehensive investigations, triage investigations and data mining on all intelligence received by the SEC.

“Tom’s experience and expertise will transform and strengthen CFP Board’s enforcement functions. He brings both regulatory and corporate perspectives on enforcement activities and the importance of outcomes that are credible to the public, fair to CFP® professionals and appropriate for a voluntary certification program,” said Kevin R. Keller, CEO. “We look forward to welcoming him in his new role at CFP Board.”

Sporkin received his Juris Doctor from Washington College of Law at American University and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from University of Maryland. He has been recognized in Super Lawyers (2019), Securities Litigation and The Best Lawyers in America (2019) Securities/Capital Markets. At the SEC, he received the Irving M. Pollack Award (2012) for demonstration of fairness and compassion as well as a dedication to public service and the SEC. He has also taught Securities Law at George Mason School of Law and Catholic University of America’s School of Law.

About CFP Board

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board sets standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CFP® certification – one of the most respected certifications in financial services – so that the public has access to and benefits from competent and ethical financial planning. CFP Board, along with its Center for Financial Planning, is committed to increasing the public’s awareness of CFP® certification and access to a diverse, ethical and competent financial planning workforce. Widely recognized by firms and consumer groups as the standard for financial planning, CFP® certification is held by more than 90,000 people in the United States.

Contact

John Pappas
Director of External Communications
202-379-2252
jpappas@cfpboard.org