We are speaking today with Joshua Cefkin, Sr. Director, Client Services and Brokerage Operations, TradeStation Securities Inc.

Please tell us a little bit about yourself:

I was born and raised in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and graduated from Mars Hill College, NC where I majored in Business Management & Finance, including a study abroad at Regents College in London, UK. After working in banking and finance for 10 years I shifted my career focus to the brokerage industry and became a financial advisor for Morgan Stanley. I have always enjoyed managing a team and have been in a managerial role for most of my career. Looking to continue to gain knowledge and experience in the industry, I joined TradeStation in 2012 where I have had the privilege to lead multiple departments in achieving new milestones in service levels and new account growth. Throughout my carrier at TradeStation I’ve had the opportunity to create and manage several different groups that cover various aspects of the business, including Client Services, Technical Support, Trade Desk, Retail and Institutional Sales, Account Services and Tax Reporting. Whether creating a new team or taking over an existing one, my focus is on process efficiency, automation, and business scalability.

Tell us a little about your firm:

TradeStation offers advanced trading technology and online electronic brokerage services to active individual and institutional traders in the U.S. and worldwide. The company’s innovative trading and analysis platforms provide one-click access to all major U.S. exchanges and market centers, while its expansive product offering enables clients to design, test, optimize, monitor, and automate their own custom equities, options, and futures trading strategies. Currently we support trading in equities, equity options, futures and futures options. Remaining committed to providing the best trading experience, our platforms and brokerage services have received awards and recognition from respected industry reviewers like Barrons.com, StockBrokers.com, Investopedia and Investor’s Business Daily.

Why is it important for TradeStation, to be a member of the FSDA?

TradeStation is a self-directed, self-clearing, brokerage firm, meaning we offer multiple trading platforms and extensive educational resources, but we do not offer trade advice. That being said, we are a licensed broker-dealer which means we are subject to the same rules and regulations that govern full-service broker-dealers. Because of our setup, especially now that commission-free online trading has become so omnipresent, it is important for us to network and share our perspective on the securities industry with all types of brokerage and advisory firms. Being a member of the FSDA allows us the opportunity to participate in these discussions with other industry professionals, embrace our shared mission to educate investors and collectively advocate for fair laws to protect the public.

I know that the members at are incredibly involved locally in the South Florida area. Please tell us a little bit about that involvement and your firm’s “give something back” initiative.

TradeStation has a firmwide initiative to give back to our community and help those in need through a program called TradeStation Cares. To raise money, we incorporate fundraising events into our department initiatives, for example, during Client Services Week, we donate prizes for a raffle in which all proceeds are utilized by TradeStation Cares to help families in need. Additionally, we fundraise and work with several different causes and organizations throughout the year, for example The Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, Habitat for Humanity and others. We also volunteer at homeless shelters, food banks and environmental clean-ups. TradeStation is also a proud sponsor of the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a nationally known childhood cancer prevention and support charity.

Joshua Cefkin, thanks for taking time to speak with us today.