TD’s Nagy Starts New Firm

Although he expected to take the summer off before starting his new firm in the fall, former TD Ameritrade exec Christopher Nagy has gotten right back to work in his new digs at KOR Trading.

The new Omaha, Neb.-based firm, which began operating June 1, specializes in regulation and market structure issues, as well as the politics behind them both. The firm will help clients write comment letters to regulators in response to proposed changes in market structure and develop business strategies to navigate those changes, Nagy said.

"I have three exchanges, several broker-dealers and a few advisors already seeking my services," Nagy said. "Additionally, I plan to help them utilize social media in new and exciting ways."

KOR stands for "King of Retail." Nagy is known for his colorful presentations and humor at conferences, and KOR appears to be a reference to a Traders Magazine cover story in 2010, in which Nagy was called "The Retail King."

"I’m flabbergasted with the amount of work already in front of me," Nagy said. 

Nagy is well known in the industry, wearing his trademark green blazer—TD’s color—as moderator at industry functions. He has been a frequent commentator in the media and often provides colorful commentary on the interests of the retail investor.

Before KOR Trading, Nagy was managing director for order routing and market data strategy and co-head of government relations at TD Ameritrade. Nagy, a 22-year veteran, joined TD Ameritrade in 1999 as a trading manager responsible for day-to-day operations. During his tenure there, he became a leading voice on equity market structure and regulatory issues, speaking on behalf of his retail investor client base.

Prior to that, Nagy was vice president of trading at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray and served as an off-floor vice chairman of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange from August 1999 to August 2004.