SIPC Protection Disclosure
Most accounts with MountainView Securities are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”) for up to $500,000, including a maximum of $250,000 for cash claims. This coverage is provided at no charge to our clients. MountainView Securities is a fully disclosed introducing broker with Pershing, and Pershing provides additional account protection—through a commercial insurer—which is in excess of the $500,000 provided by the SIPC. You may obtain additional information about the SIPC, including its brochure explaining eligible account coverage, by visiting its web site, www.sipc.org, or by calling the SIPC at 202-371-8300.
Anti-Money Laundering Notice
Important Information Concerning Procedures When Opening an Account
To help the government fight against money laundering activities and the funding of terroristic activities, Federal Law requires all financial institutions, including this firm, to obtain, verify and record information that identifies each person who opens an account.
What This Means for You, the Client
When you open an account, we will ask you for your name, address, taxpayer identification, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you. We are required to obtain a copy of your valid driver’s license or other identifying documents. To comply with the USA Patriot Act of 2001, MountainView Securities will conduct a background check and/or utilize a third party to use the information a customer has given us to verify the customer’s identification.
Privacy Notice
MountainView Securities maintains the highest standards of confidentiality and respects the privacy of our client relationships. In that regard, we are providing this privacy notice to all of our individual clients who obtain financial products and services from us, in accordance with Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 and its implementing regulations.
The Information We Collect About You
The non-public personal information we collect about you (your “Information”) comes primarily from the account applications or other forms you submit to us. We may also collect information about your transactions and experiences with us, our affiliates, or others relating to the products and services we provide. Also, depending on the products or services you require, we may obtain additional information from consumer reporting agencies.
Our Disclosure Policies
We do not disclose your information to anyone, except as permitted by law. This may include sharing your information with non-affiliated companies that perform support services for your account or process your transactions on behalf of our affiliates or us. It may also include sharing your information with our affiliates to bring you a full range of products and services. Additionally, it may include disclosing your information pursuant to your express consent, to fulfill your instructions, or to comply with applicable laws and regulations.
Our Information Security Policies
We limit access to your information to those of our employees and service providers who are involved in offering or administering the products or services we offer. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to comply with federal standards to guard your information.
If our relationship ends, we will continue to treat the information as described in this Privacy Notice.
Business Continuity Disclosure Statement
MountainView Securities is providing this information to you about our efforts to ensure that you are not significantly affected as a result of an emergency or significant business disruption.
Securities industry regulations require each member firm to create and maintain a business continuity plan reasonably designed to meet its obligations to its clients and other counter-parties. In accordance with these requirements, we have designed a business continuity plan to address scenarios in efforts to minimize the impact to your account.
In keeping with the regulatory requirements, the business continuity plan for MountainView Securities is designed to address key areas of concern, including, but not limited to, the following:
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Data back-up and recovery
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All mission-critical systems
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Financial and operational assessments
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Alternate means of communication between MountainView Securities and its clients
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Alternate means of communication between MountainView Securities and its employees
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Alternate physical locations of employees
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Critical business constituents, such as banks and counter-parties
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Regulatory reporting
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Communications with regulators
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Ensuring that clients have access to their funds and securities in the event that MountainView Securities determines it is unable to continue its business
As events creating business disruptions may vary in nature and scope, MountainView Securities has anticipated scenarios in which the following are affected:
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MountainView Securities headquarters (Denver, Colorado)
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MountainView Securities branch office (Houston, Texas)
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A regional area
Regardless of the scope of the disruption, MountainView Securities intends to continue to provide services for its customers as soon as possible after any disruption.
In the event of a regional business disruption, if the length of the disruption is determined to be significant, MountainView Securities has a branch more than 500 miles from its headquarters. The essential trading and operational support employees can relocate to this branch to continue operations.
The MountainView Securities business continuity plan is reviewed and tested at least annually. The MountainView Securities clearing agent, Pershing, a critical component of our operations, is located outside of the geographical location of either office and tests their system at least twice a year.
Whenever any significant event would occur that would impact this plan, the plan is updated to recognize that event and its impact upon the plan.
If the SIPC determines that we are unable to meet our obligations to our customers, or if our liabilities exceed our assets in violation of Securities Exchange Act rule 15c3-1, the SIPC may seek to appoint a trustee to distribute our assets to customers. We will assist the SIPC and the trustee by providing our books and records identifying customer accounts subject to SIPC regulation.
Our business continuity plan is designed so that any disruption which might occur allows MountainView Securities to continue doing business and continue delivering a high level of service to our clients.