The Securities and Exchange Commission today named Richard R. Best as Regional Director of its Salt Lake office.  

He will succeed Karen Martinez, who is retiring from public service and leaving the agency at the end of this month.

Mr. Best joins the SEC from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) in New York, where he is a senior director and chief counsel in its Department of Enforcement.  He supervises a team handling investigations and disciplinary hearings involving regulated entities and associated persons.  Mr. Best previously held other supervisory and investigative positions within FINRA’s Enforcement function. 

Before joining FINRA, Mr. Best spent approximately 10 years as a prosecutor in the Office of the Bronx County District Attorney, where he handled and supervised high-profile public integrity and organized crime prosecutions, among other matters. 

“Richard’s extensive experience regulating industry participants and history of serving as a tough prosecutor will make him a strong and effective leader of the Salt Lake office,” said SEC Chair Mary Jo White.  “He will be a great complement to the Salt Lake staff.”

Andrew J. Ceresney, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement, added, “Richard possesses a wealth of investigative experience, a strong knowledge of industry practices gained from his tenure at FINRA, and excellent trial skills from his impressive career as a prosecutor.  I am pleased that he will add his considerable talent to our outstanding team in Salt Lake.”

Mr. Best said, “It is an honor and a privilege to join the Salt Lake Regional Office.  I have profound respect for the staff’s accomplishments and I look forward to working with them to help carry out the Commission’s mandate to protect investors.”

Mr. Best graduated from the State University of New York, College at Old Westbury and earned his law degree from the Howard University School of Law.