Cartana's Story
In early 2015, I found myself at a crossroads… my family and I were about to relocate from Florida to Georgia and my CFO/FINOP position was being eliminated due to an acquisition. I didn’t want to fight Atlanta traffic so when someone mentioned that I should consider consulting, my interest was piqued. Over the next few months, I spoke to numerous colleagues and read everything I could find on outsourced FINOP’s (aka rent-a-FINOP, part-time FINOP, etc.).
Several industry veterans and some ex-regulators I spoke with indicated that these consultants are mostly sloppy and disliked by regulators which only motivated me more – I was certain that this stigma could be changed. I liked the fact that I would be bringing affordable expertise to small clients who might not have previously had that. I was going to make sure that each client I worked with got great service – after all, I wanted to take the financial reporting headache off their shoulders without adding new burdens (forcing them to change systems, making unreasonable demands, missing deadlines, being unreachable, or having poor attitude). The idea was that I would take their existing processes and make improvement suggestions (unless something was terribly wrong, of course!).
Most clients loved it! Little by little, word spread, and the client base began to grow. Before I knew it, I found myself at a new crossroads… do I start turning clients away (unfortunately, there are only so many clients a single person can handle) or do I look for likeminded professionals to join my team so we can help even more firms be the best version of themselves? Well, I chose the latter and here we are. I am in awe of how far we’ve come since 2015 and am grateful for each client who gave us a chance to work with them!
As Cartana evolved over the years I began to think not only about how we serve our clients, but also about how we do this in a sustainable manner. Sustainability can take on many meanings, but to Cartana it really centers around reducing our carbon footprint. Our operations are completely remote, thus eliminating employees’ emissions that would be present in a traditional office setting. We are also cognizant of our footprint in our planning of client visits. We strive to combine client visits where feasible, therefore reducing our footprint during travels. We understand that our efforts are small in the grand scheme of things, but we also feel that every little bit helps. If we all do the little things, then we can collectively make a big difference!
- Ana R. Carter
Founder & CEO
Meet The Cartana Team
Ana Carter
Founder and CEO
A hands-on problem solver with advanced computer skills, Ana has spent her entire career in the financial services industry. Some of her specific strengths are in financial reporting, net capital management and day-to-day accounting functions.
She is proficient in the examination and evaluation of fixed income and institutional trading, cash management, and financial statement and operational analysis. Her experience also includes involvement with systems and clearing platform conversions, financial integration of acquisitions and management of accounting operations of a broker/dealer generating annual revenues in excess of $150 million.
Ana has a Baccalaureate degree in Finance from the University of South Florida and holds FINRA Licenses Series 7, 27, 28, 63 and 99.
In her spare time, Ana enjoys reading and traveling with her family.
Corey Carter
coo
Throughout his early career, Corey was known as an innovative, yet pragmatic thought leader with extensive experience driving profitable and effective initiatives within high-pressure settings. As a senior-level expert, he spent the early part of his career ensuring that ESG decisions were made using a diplomatic approach to achieve organizational goals.
As he transitions into a new role with Cartana, he aims to utilize the skills honed over the past two decades in the corporate world to help design and implement business strategies, manage partner relationships, and oversee company operations. He also plays a pivotal role in business development activities and directly supports Cartana’s CEO.
Corey holds a Baccalaureate degree in Environmental Economics and Management from the University of Georgia and has spent over 15 years in high level roles with various corporations.
In his free time, Corey likes to spend time traveling the world with his family and cheering on the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
Rick Speziale
finop consultant
Rick is a Chief Financial and Operating Officer with a unique blend of experience in Broker Dealer, Investment Banking and Capital Markets businesses. His experience includes assessing internal controls over financial reporting and operational risk, and developing effective and efficient business processes and operations.
Rick has considerable project management experience in back office and financial operations, and is skilled at improving an organization’s ability to assimilate, integrate and analyze a wide range of financial and operational data. He has spent over 30 years in high level roles at the SEC, Citigroup and PwC.
Rick has a Baccalaureate degree in Business Administration (Finance) and an MBA in Finance from Long Island University. He holds FINRA Licenses Series 27 and 63.
When not working, Rick spends his personal time fishing, scuba diving, biking, and hiking.
Anya Cross
finop consultant
As the former CFO and FINOP of a large introducing Broker, Anya is CMA-certified with over 14 years of experience in BD financial reporting and overall fiscal accountability within numerous BD models. Anya specializes in FinTech BD financial and regulatory compliance, intracompany accounts, internal audits, and financial statement consolidation.
Additionally, Anya has experience with new member applications, development and implementation of internal financial controls, net capital compliance, and multiple related entities' liquidity management.
Anya has a Baccalaureate in Finance from Ryerson University and holds FINRA Licenses Series 7, 27, and 66.
On a personal note, Anya spends her free time raising three children, gardening, and supporting her hardworking husband.
Chris Meunier, CPA
finop and compliance consultant
Chris is a FINOP and compliance officer that has spent time serving clients as an auditor for Ernst & Young and working alongside them as an accounting, finance, and compliance principal within the financial services industry. His public accounting experiences include conducting audits over financial statements, internal controls over financial reporting, and various regulatory compliance areas.
Within the industry, Chris also has worked extensively to implement and improve accounting systems and processes, conduct and supervise business operations, and provide compliance principal supervision for Broker-Dealers.
Chris holds a Baccalaureate degree in Finance and a Master's degree in Accountancy from Wake Forest University School of Business.
He is a licensed CPA in the state of Colorado and holds FINRA Series 14, 24, 28, 63, 79, and 99 licenses.
In his free time Chris enjoys listening to music, attending sporting events and baking.
Mary Beth Thompson
staff accountant
Having over 20 years of accounting experience, Mary Beth has worked in a variety of different industries such as Educational, Newspaper/Media, Financial Services and Tropical Fish Farming & Distribution.
With an eye for detail, she has always put her customers first and knows the importance of meeting their financial deadlines.
In her spare time, Mary Beth enjoys exploring wild and wonderful West Virginia with her husband and family.
Why Choose Us
Since 2015, Cartana Consulting Solutions has risen up to the challenge of supporting FINRA member firms in their financial responsibilities. Our goal is to provide broker dealer owners and executives peace of mind - allowing them to fully focus on day-to-day business operations.
A clean record
Our commitment to maintaining high professional standards is something we take pride in. As a testament to our dedication and professionalism, you will not come across any disclosures on the broker check pages of our FINOP consultants.
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
With 100% client satisfaction, you can rest assured that we will carry out our services for your firm, without fail.
PROVEN PERFORMANCE
Rest assured that our dedicated team will thoroughly execute the services for your firm with attention to detail. Our goal is to ensure that all work is completed in a timely manner and in strict accordance with industry standards.
