About Us

James R. Richards, CFA, is the founder and principal of FinOp Outsource. With over 20 years of experience as a Financial and Operations Principal (FINOP) for a wide variety of independent broker-dealers, including an Alternative Trading System (ATS). James brings unparalleled expertise in regulatory compliance and financial operations.

His areas of expertise include:

• Preparation of FOCUS reports
• Net capital computations under SEC Rule 15c3-1
• Regulatory liaison with FINRA and SEC
• Strategic financial planning for broker-dealers

James holds multiple FINRA licenses, including Series 7, 24, 27, 53, 62, 65, 79, and 99. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and earned his BBA from Stephen F. Austin State University and his MA from The University of Texas at Dallas.

In addition to his professional practice, James serves as a Lecturer in the Naveen Jindal School of Management at The University of Texas at Dallas, where he shares his knowledge with the next generation of financial professionals.

Additional Professional Experience

• Independent member of the board of directors of Venturis Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical development stage company. Chairman of the compensation committee, member of the audit committee.
• Co-founder, co-owner and CFO of Nobles & Richards, Inc., a FINRA Member Broker/Dealer primarily acting as a Managing Dealer (wholesale) for issuers of alternative investments.
• Member of the board of directors of three reconstituted savings and loan associations under the Management Consignment Program of the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation.
• Co-founder and member of the board of directors of Lincoln Capital Management, LLC, a mezzanine lending fund specializing in construction finance under the Small Business Administration’s CDC 504 Program.
• Equity investor and advisor of ISC Group, Inc., which, through subsidiaries, owns a FINRA Member Broker/Dealer, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor, and an Insurance Agency specializing in providing investment products and services to independent investment representatives, financial planners, and investment advisors.
• Investor and Independent Director of Xponential, Inc., an investment company with subsidiaries in consumer finance, investment management, and consumer products. Served as Independent member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee. Acquired a consumer finance company out of bankruptcy and increased shareholder value by a factor of three.
• Represented Xponential, Inc. on the Board of Directors of American Ironhorse Motorcycle Company, a $50 million revenue manufacturer of custom motorcycles (portfolio investment of Xponential, Inc.).
• Investor in Capital Financial Services, Inc. (portfolio investment of Xponential, Inc.), which owns a FINRA Member Broker/Dealer and an SEC Registered Investment Advisor.
• Elected member of the City Council of Dallas, Texas; member of the Board of Trustees of the City of Dallas Employee Pension Fund and the City of Dallas Police and Fire Pension Fund.
• Vice President – Corporate Planning of Gulf United Corporation (NYSE:GHC), an investment company with operating subsidiaries in life insurance, radio and television broadcasting, real estate, and consumer finance. Responsibilities included mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and investor relations.
• Audit Manager with Deloitte Haskins & Sells, Certified Public Accountants. Practice concentration in life insurance, investment companies, and other financial services firms.