How did you get started? How did the firm get started? I started by trading my own account at the San Diego branch of Conti-Commodity in 1979 when I was 20 years old. Those were wild and woolly days! About 20 traders came in to the office on a daily basis to hang out and watch the big quote board on the front wall in the office. With the noise from the mechanical numbers revolving with each price change and the board lighting up either green or red for new highs and lows along with the squawk boxes blaring and…...
Interconti Limited | May 2012 – Focus on the Membership
Primary Business Operating under a “Service Bureau” business model, Interconti provides Marketing, Research and Consulting services to the investment industry, specializing in, but not limited to, futures and managed futures products. As we don’t operate in a brokerage capacity, we don’t deal with end-users, preferring to operate on a strictly “B2B” basis. We view our primary market as smaller retail FCMs and IBs who desire to offer managed futures product/exposure to their clients but to do so without undertaking the potentially substantial capital allocation normally required, searching out appropriate internal department-head talent and suffering the almost inevitable reticence of IIBs…...
Rice Dairy | Focus on the Membership – March 2012
How did you get started? How did the firm get started? Brian Rice and Pete Turk, the owners of Rice Dairy LLC have a combined 45 years of experience in the futures industry and a combined 33 years being NFA registered. Brain started the company in 2002 with a vision in providing strong price risk management services in the dairy futures industry. With his focus on the floor, Brian created a streamlined execution venue for his customer base that was successful in building the company in the early days. Brian wanted to continue growing his company and expand his product…...
Telvent DTN | Focus on the Membership, February 2012
Primary Business Telvent DTN is a global, industry-leading provider of commodity trading tools and information. Its flagship product, DTN ProphetX®, helps clients make the most profitable trading and risk management decisions possible, across a wide range of commodities, including grains, softs, energy and metals. DTN ProphetX also provides subscribers with sophisticated technical and fundamental analysis, extensive charting features, commodity focused news wires, streaming real-time quotes, and historical data feeds. By employing the largest and most highly-awarded news team in agriculture, Telvent DTN covers the breaking news that drives both the OTC and futures markets to 700,000 subscribers in over 30…...
Coquest Inc. | Focus on the Membership. January 2012
About the Firm: How did you get started? Founded over 20 years ago as an energy brokerage and consulting firm, Coquest has grown to include a wide range of investment products and services. Do you provide additional services besides brokerage? Managed futures products, OTC & futures hedging services, CTA/CPO media design services. What are the biggest challenges your clients face today, and how do you help them? One of the issues facing our clients involved in managed products is the correct balance and allocation of programs. With volatility at record highs, we feel it’s our responsibility to work with our…...
Allendale Inc. | Focus on the Membership, October 2011
About the Firm: How did you get started? After graduating from Southern Illinois University, I worked in animal husbandry field for several years. The desire to increase revenue while controlling my destiny led me to the futures industry. My first position in the futures industry was as a broker with Heinold Commodities. Then, in 1984 I started Allendale Inc. with partner Bill Biedermann. Our focus was to provide the best service possible to our customers and reward the personnel that worked the hardest. We are a full service brokerage firm and our customers are still our most important asset. Do…...
Focus on the Membership | Featured Member: Great Lakes Global
About You: How did you get started? Do you provide additional services besides brokerage? I began at the MidAmerica Exchange in Chicago in 1976, and have traded on COMEX since 1982. I formed Great Lakes Metals, Inc. in 1987, a floor brokerage and trading firm on COMEX. Currently I serve as Chairman of the COMEX Governors Committee; International Advisor to the Shanghai Gold Exchange; Director at NIBA. I started my GIB in 1995 (now GLT Group). In 2008, I created Great Lakes Global and Great Lakes Hong Kong to offer brokerage services internationally with a focus on Asia. In Asia…...
The Dow Corporation | Focus on the Membership June 2011
About the Firm: How did you get started? Do you provide additional services besides brokerage I’ve always had a focus in the energy markets. The Dow Energy Corp. was founded in 1986 as a GIB of Gelderman. After becoming an IIB, it merged with CitiBank in 1991 to form CitiBank Futures Group, the first US bank to clear third party futures and options. I founded The Dow Corporation in 1995 while a member of the NYMEX, and developed Dow Vector Analysis, a proprietary trading system. Currently, The Dow Corp. is structured as a vertical information and service company, introducing commercial…...
Traders Network | NIBA Focus on the Membership, May 2011
About the Firm: How did you get started? Do you provide additional services besides brokerage? Joe Kellogg, my partner, and I met working for a brokerage firm in southern California. Joe moved to Colorado to start Traders Network in 1987. I followed in 1989, after a short sojourn to Eugene, OR to help found a research firm which is now known as Moore Research Center. Along with our broker-assisted and electronic trading platforms, we offer auto-traded swing trading programs. Our advisory newsletter, Trader Market Views Swing Trading Report, in its 24th year of publication is one of our several educational…...
Advance Trading – NIBA Focus on the Membership (March 2011)
Dear NIBA Members and Supporters: Welcome to the premier of Focus on the Membership. This new column will focus on a NIBA member with a recipe for success in the retail futures and options business, and will run regularly as part of our newsletter. Selected members are: Registered in good standing with the CFTC and NFA. Representative of the diversity of the NIBA. Willing to share opinions, experiences and ideas. We are proud that Advance Trading, Bloomington, IL is our first featured member. Founded in 1980 and employee-owned, Advance is an IIB with a unique model for success. We hope…...