Texas Traders Conference 2026: Full Schedule

Welcome to the Dallas-Ft Worth Metroplex!

12:00pm CDT

DSTA / OCC / Women in ETF's – Innovation in Derivative-based ETF's

Wednesday September 9, 2026 12:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Opening Comments and Updates: Mike Hansen, OCC, Steve Capurso, President, DSTA,Old Mission
Program Host: Laura Delaney, Vice President, DSTA, Virtu Financial
Charity: Hope’s Door New Beginning Center: Megan Valdez, CEO
OCC Regulatory Update: Sheila Zak, OCC
OCC Learning Initiative Presentation: Mark Benzaquen, OCC
Moderator: Sara Levin, WallachBeth

Speakers

Steve Capurso

President of the DSTA and Head of ETF Issuer Relationships, Old Mission

Steve Capurso is the current President of the DSTA and Head of ETF Issuer Relationships at Old Mission. In this role, he focuses on the firm’s lead market-making business, advising both new and existing ETF issuers on securing lead market-making services and obtaining seed capital... Read More →

Mike Hansen

Chief Clearing and Settlement Services Officer, OCC

Mike Hansen is Chief Clearing and Settlement Services Officer and Dallas Site Leader at OCC, the world’s largest equity derivatives clearing organization.In this role, Mike is responsible for OCC’s day-to-day clearance and settlement functions and oversees the Member Services... Read More →

Laura Delaney

Global POSIT Alert Sales, Virtu

Laura Delaney is a securities industry professional with 26 years of experience across trading, sales, and institutional trading solutions. She began her career at Knight Securities, advanced to global equity trading, and joined Virtu Financial (formerly ITG) in 2007. Her work focuses... Read More →

Mark Benzaquen

Principal, Investor Education, OCC

Mark is the Principal, Investor Education, OCC | OIC Instructor at the OCC. With nearly three decades of hands-on experience in options, Mark Benzaquen has established himself as one of the industry’s most trusted educators and communicators. His rare ability to distill complex... Read More →

Sladja Carton

Senior Vice President, Alternatives Institutional Portfolio Manager, Fidelity Investments

Sladja Carton is a senior vice president, Alternatives in the Institutional Portfolio Management Team division at Fidelity Investments. Fidelity Investments is a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing, and... Read More →

Brittany Christensen

Head of Business Development, Tidal Financial Group

Brittany Christensen is Head of Business Development at Tidal Financial Group. Tidal is a leading ETF platform facilitating the creation, operation, and growth of ETFs.Brittany has driven Tidal’s Business Development efforts through remarkable year-over-year growth, positioning... Read More →

Tom Generazio

Senior Trader, Advisor Wealth Services Block Desk, Charles Schwab

Tom Generazio, is a senior trader on Schwab’s Advisor Services Block Desk, specializing in high-touch Equity and ETF execution for RIAs. With over 30 years of experience, Tom helps improve client outcomes by offering insights into market structure, best execution practices and execution... Read More →

Sara Levin

Managing Director, ETF & Derivative Trading, WallachBeth Capital

Sara Levin is a Managing Director at WallachBeth, where she sits on the ETF and Derivative Trading Solutions teams. She advises institutional clients on navigating the increasingly complex exchange-listed landscape, with a focus on market structure, ’40 Act fund construction, and... Read More →

Erica Marquez Avitia

COO, Old Mission

Erica Marquez Avitia is the Chief Operating Officer of Old Mission Holdings LLC, a premier global quantitative market making firm and one of the largest liquidity providers in the ETF ecosystem. In this role, she works with the Managing Partners to advance the organization’s vision... Read More →

Megan Valdez

Chief Executive Officer, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center

Megan Valdez is the Chief Executive Officer of Hope’s Door New Beginning Center, a comprehensive domestic violence agency serving survivors and families across North Texas. With nearly 20 years of experience in the domestic violence and victim services field, Megan has worked across... Read More →

Vanessa Yang, CFA

Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Global X ETFs

Vanessa Yang, CFA is Vice President and Portfolio Manager at Global X ETFs, an asset management firm founded in 2008 that manages more than US$94 billion in assets and offers over 100 innovative ETFs. Global X is a member of Mirae Asset Financial Group, a global leader in financial... Read More →

Sheila Zak

Managing Director, Member Services and Participant Solutions, OCC

Sheila Zak is Managing Director of Member Services and Participant Solutions at OCC, the foundation for secure markets and the only company that clears and settles every listed-options trade in the United States. Sheila leads the team responsible for ensuring OCC’s member firms... Read More →

Wednesday September 9, 2026 12:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Options Clearing Corp 9111 Cypress Waters Blvd, Coppell, TX 75019

Panel

8:00am CDT

DSTA / Women in Finance Brunch

Thursday September 10, 2026 8:00am - 10:00am CDT

Ritz Carlton Las Colinas-Cottonwood Room

Panel Host: Anastacia Villis – Director DSTA , IEX trading
Focus Charity: Hope’s Door New Beginning Center

Megan Valdez, CEO
Fanta Coleman – Survivor and Board Member.

Keynote Speaker

Valiere Simpson, Charles Schwab

Speakers

Anastacia Villis

Business Development, IEX

Anastacia Villis is a member of the business development team at IEX, where she works with market participants across the evolving electronic trading landscape. She began her career at Nasdaq in Equity Capital Markets, supporting IPO activity, before transitioning to market data sales... Read More →

Laura Delaney

Global POSIT Alert Sales, Virtu

Erica Attonito

Business Development, Hudson River Trading (HRT)

Erica Attonito is a member of the Executive and Business Development teams at Hudson River Trading (HRT). Since joining the firm in 2017, she has driven the expansion of HRT’s off-exchange liquidity offering, successfully launching its Single Dealer Platform (SDP) and retail wholesale... Read More →

Fanta Coleman

Board Member, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center

Fanta Coleman is a board member of Hope’s Door New Beginning Center and a dedicated advocate for survivors of domestic abuse. Today, she serves as a financial professional with New York Life, helping individuals, families, and business owners build financial security and plan for... Read More →

Angela Redell

Director of Liquidity Strategy, APEX Fintech Solutions

Angie Redell is Director of Liquidity Strategy at Apex Fintech Solutions, a fintech infrastructure platform delivering digital clearing, custody, and execution services to over 200 broker-dealers, RIAs, and consumer investing apps.Angie oversees Apex’s routing strategy, execution... Read More →

Valiere Simpson

Managing Director, Head of Client Service & Support, Charles Schwab

As managing director, Val leads Schwab’s retail service organization supporting brokerage, banking and participant services clients. In this role, Val is responsible for strategic direction, talent, support and day-to-day activities representing over 6,000 professionals. Prior to... Read More →

Megan Valdez

Chief Executive Officer, Hope’s Door New Beginning Center

Flavia Vehbiu

Deputy General Counsel, OTC Markets Group

Flavia Vehbiu is the Deputy General Counsel of OTC Markets Group, where she drives the company’s regulatory and policymaking initiatives. Prior to joining OTC Markets, Flavia worked at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP in New York, where she represented issuers and underwriters in a range... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 8:00am - 10:00am CDT
Ritz Carlton Las Colinas-Cottonwood Room 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving TX

Panel

11:00am CDT

Lunch

Thursday September 10, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom Promenade

Opening Comments: Steve Capurso, 2026 DSTA President (12:15 PM – 12:25 PM)
Program Host: Laura Delaney, Vice President DSTA, (Virtu Financial)

Thursday September 10, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom Promenade 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Networking

12:30pm CDT

Market Dynamics: Competition, Transparency & Execution

Thursday September 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:10pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Competition across today’s trading ecosystem and the changing dynamics of market quality. Where liquidity forms, price discovery, and the balance between displayed and off-exchange markets.
Moderator: Mark Davies, S3

Speakers

Greg Ferrari

Chief Operating Officer, TXSE

Greg is Chief Operating Officer of the Texas Stock Exchange.
Prior to joining TXSE, Greg was the Chief Product Officer at Nasdaq within the North
American Markets division. An industry veteran with nearly two decades of exchange
management experience, Greg has led cross functiona... Read More →

Reid Noch

VP, US Equity Market Structure, TD Securities

Reid Noch covers U.S. Equity Market Structure at TD Securities, where he analyzes regulatory, venue and macro developments shaping the U.S. equity landscape. His work focuses on market structure evolution, trading venue dynamics and the intersection of policy and liquidity. Reid is... Read More →

Mark Davies

CEO, S3

Mark Davies is Co-Founder and CEO of S3, a full-service compliance and trade analytics software. He is responsible for the organization’s business strategy, the executive team, and has oversight of the company’s day-to-day operations, including client relations, sales, and business... Read More →

Jeff Mendl

Director, MCAP

Jeff Mendl is a seasoned financial markets executive with extensive expertise in market structure, electronic trading, exchange operations, and institutional relationship management. As Director at MCAP, he plays a key role across the firm’s business lines, expanding relationships... Read More →

Jacob Rappaport

Global Head, Equities, StoneX Group Inc.

Jacob Rappaport is Global Head of Equities at StoneX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SNEX), a Fortune 100® company and a leading global provider of financial services, including execution, risk management, market intelligence, and post trade services across asset classes and markets worldwide.Mr... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 12:30pm - 1:10pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

1:15pm CDT

New Markets Colliding with Legacy Market Structure

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

New Markets Colliding with Legacy Market Structure
Moderator: Pat McEvoy, Cantor Fitzgerald
Topics:
Tokenization
Perpetual Products
24/7 markets
Innovation
Prediction Markets and Beyond.

Speakers

Gabrielle Vennitti

Head of ETF Listings, Nasdaq

Gabrielle Vennitti is the Head of ETF Listings at Nasdaq, where she oversees the exchange’s Exchange Traded Product (ETP) business line, business development, and issuer relationships. Based in New York, she plays a central role in the ETF ecosystem, helping asset managers navigate... Read More →

James Kostulias

Managing Director, Head of Trading Services, Charles Schwab

As Head of Trading Services, James Kostulias is responsible for leading the end-to-end client experience for traders at Schwab, including overseeing the award-winning thinkorswim suite of trading platforms.In his previous role as Managing Director in the Integration Management Office... Read More →

Giang Bui

VP, Head of Issuer Growth, Securitize

Giang Bui is Vice President and Head of Issuer Growth at Securitize, the leading platform for real-world asset tokenization. In this role, she works with public and private market issuers to bring regulated, issuer-led tokenized products to market. Prior to joining Securitize, Giang... Read More →

Adam Hickerson

Senior Director, COO, Robinhood

Adam Hickerson, is Senior Director and COO of Robinhood Derivatives where he oversees both futures and prediction markets. Prior to joining Robinhood, Adam has worked in the financial services industry for more than 20 years where he has extensive experience within trading, product... Read More →

David Martin

Chief Revenue Officer – Digital, Clear Street

David Martin is Chief Revenue Officer, Digital at Clear Street, and brings more than 17 years of experience across investment management, fintech and trading, including a decade in cryptocurrency markets. Most recently, he served as CEO of AsiaNext, a digital asset derivatives exchange... Read More →

Patrick McEvoy

Senior Equity Trader, Cantor Fitzgerald

Patrick McEvoy is a senior equity trader and capital markets professional with more than 20 years of experience advising institutional investors and executing complex equity transactions across public markets. Throughout his career, he has developed deep expertise in special situations... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 1:15pm - 2:15pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

2:20pm CDT

Capital, Energy & the New Texas Economy

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:20pm - 2:50pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Moderator: Rob Marrocco, TXSE

Speakers

Fabian Gomez

President, Chief Operating Officer, Westwood Holdings Group

Westwood Mr. Gomez joined Westwood in 2015 and currently serves as President and COO of Westwood Holdings Group. In this role, he is responsible for our Enterprise Service & Distribution teams.Before joining Westwood, Mr. Gomez worked at Invesco, where he served as the global head... Read More →

Daniel Hoverman

President, Texas Capital Securities

Daniel S. Hoverman is Head of Corporate & Investment Banking at Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc., and Texas Capital. He also serves as Managing Partner and President of TCBI Securities, Inc., doing business as Texas Capital Securities, and as a Trustee of the Texas Capital Funds Trust... Read More →

Robert Marrocco

Global Head of Exchange Traded Products, Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE)

Prior to joining TXSE, Rob was vice president and global head of ETF listings for Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe). Since joining Cboe in 2015, Rob helped build its ETF business from 20 listed funds to over 1,000 unique ETFs globally. At Cboe, he became a champion for continued innovation... Read More →

Ethan Powell, CFA

Principal & Chief Investment Officer, Brookmont Capital Management

Mr. Powell has spent over 28 years in financial services, primarily in Hedge Funds and Private Equity. Ethan is Principal and CIO of Brookmont Capital Management a asset manager with over $1bn in AUM. In this role he is responsible for overseeing Brookmont’s team of investment and... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:20pm - 2:50pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

2:50pm CDT

TXSE Bell Ringing

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:50pm - 3:10pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Y’all Street meets Wall St at the Texas Traders Conference. The DSTA rings the TXSE closing bell.

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:50pm - 3:10pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Networking

3:10pm CDT

U.S. Equity Market Structure at a Crossroads: Regulatory Reform and the Future of Trading

Thursday September 10, 2026 3:10pm - 3:55pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

The changing regulatory landscape, SEC Rule 611, and protected quotations. What comes next as regulators and the industry reconsiders long-standing market-structure conventions.
Moderator: JJ Kinahan, Cboe

Speakers

Stefanos Bazinas

Head of Product Strategy, NYSE

Stefanos Bazinas is the Head of Transactions Product Strategy at the New York Stock Exchange. In this capacity, he leads commercial policy, product design, and regulatory and market structure strategy across U.S. equities and options. Before assuming his current role, he served as... Read More →

Stephen Cavoli

Global Head of Execution Services, Virtu Financial

Steve Cavoli is the Global Head of Execution Services at Virtu Financial. He joined Virtu in 2015 from Morgan Stanley where he had worked since 2004; he previously worked at Instinet.Mr. Cavoli graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1992 and served nearly eight years... Read More →

Richard Holley III

Acting Associate Director Division of Trading and Markets, US Securities and Exchange Commission

Richard Holley III is the Acting Associate Director overseeing the Office of Market Supervision in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Trading & Markets, which focuses on trading venues and securities market structure.Prior to joining the Commission in 2004, Richard... Read More →

JJ Kinahan

Senior Vice President, Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products, Cboe Global Markets

JJ (Joe) Kinahan is a veteran financial markets executive and one of the most recognizable voices in U.S. retail trading. He currently serves as Senior Vice President, Retail Expansion and Alternative Investment Products at Cboe Global Markets, where he leads initiatives designed... Read More →

Joe Mecane

Head of Execution Services, Citadel Securities

Joseph Mecane is Head of Execution Services at Citadel Securities. In this role, he is responsible for the firm’s client-facing equity, options, FX, and ETF businesses.Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Mecane was Global Head of Electronic Equities at Barclays. Previously, he worked... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 3:10pm - 3:55pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

4:00pm CDT

DSTA Texas Traders Focus Charity Recognition

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Boulder Crest Foundation – Ken Falke, CEO

Speakers

Ken Falke

Founder & Chairman, Boulder Crest Foundation

Mr. Falke is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Navy Special Operations Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) community and retired Master Chief Petty Officer. During Ken’s career, he made over 1000 parachute jumps and roughly, the same number of underwater military dives. Ken led thousands... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:00pm - 4:15pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

4:15pm CDT

STA & Political Summer 2026 Update

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:15pm - 4:35pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Jim Toes, STA
Joel Oswald, Williams & Jensen

Speakers

Joel Oswald

Principal, Williams & Jensen

Joel Oswald is a Principal at Williams & Jensen, where he advises clients on legislative and regulatory matters with a focus on financial services policy. With more than two decades of experience spanning both the public and private sectors, Joel helps clients navigate the increasingly... Read More →

Jim Toes

President & CEO, Security Traders Association

Jim Toes has served as President and CEO of the Security Traders Association (STA) since 2011. In this role, he maintains relationships with U.S. regulators and congressional policymakers, advocating for the employees and customers of the financial markets. Under his leadership, STA... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:15pm - 4:35pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

4:40pm CDT

Keynote: Capital Formation, emerging products, investor protection, and the transformation of financial services

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:40pm - 5:20pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom

Capital Formation, emerging products, investor protection, and the transformation of financial services. A Fireside Chat with:
Moderator: Dr. Shane Goodwin, SMU
Featured Guest: Brian Daly, SEC

Speakers

Brian Daly

Director, Division of Investment Management, Securities & Exchange Commission

Brian Daly became Director of the Division of Investment Management in July 2025. He brings decades of experience serving in prominent roles at global law firms and investment management firms while advising fund managers and sponsors on regulatory compliance.In 2021, Mr. Daly joined... Read More →

Shane Goodwin

Executive Director – SMU Corporate Governance Initiative, Southern Methodist University

Dr. Shane Goodwin is the Executive Director of the SMU Corporate Governance Initiative, a collaborative effort between the Cox School of Business and Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University. He also serves as a Professor of Practice in Finance at the SMU Cox School of... Read More →

Thursday September 10, 2026 4:40pm - 5:20pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Ballroom 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Panel

5:30pm CDT

Texas Traders “Roundup” Networking Event / Cocktails & Dinner Buffet

Thursday September 10, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT

TBA

Thursday September 10, 2026 5:30pm - 8:00pm CDT
TBA

Networking

6:00pm CDT

Casino night and Raffle Prizes for benefit of Boulder Crest Foundation

Thursday September 10, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

TBA

Thursday September 10, 2026 6:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
TBA

Networking

7:00pm CDT

Poker Tournament

Thursday September 10, 2026 7:00pm - 11:59pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-The Pavillion

Thursday September 10, 2026 7:00pm - 11:59pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-The Pavillion 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Networking

9:00pm CDT

Hospitality Suite

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:00pm - Friday September 11, 2026 9:00pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Villa #

Thursday September 10, 2026 9:00pm - Friday September 11, 2026 9:00pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Villa # 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

7:30am CDT

Sport Shooting at the Elm Fork Shooting Sports

Friday September 11, 2026 7:30am - 7:45am CDT

Elm Fork Shooting Sports

7:45am: Bus departs Ritz Carlton to Elm Fork Shooting Range
8:am: Bus arrives and breakfast is served at Elm Fork Club House/Patio
8:30am: Sporting Clay shooting commences
10:45am Sport Clays ends
11~11:30am Bus departs Elm Fork to Ritz Carlton

Friday September 11, 2026 7:30am - 7:45am CDT
Elm Fork Shooting Sports 10751 Luna Rd, Dallas, TX 75220

Networking

7:45am CDT

Golf Tournament TPC Los Colinas

Friday September 11, 2026 7:45am - 7:45am CDT

TPC Las Colinas

Scramble Format / Shotgun Start
Breakfast and Lunch Provided on the Course.

Friday September 11, 2026 7:45am - 7:45am CDT
TPC Las Colinas

Networking

12:00pm CDT

Lunch at the Pavilion

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-The Pavillion

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-The Pavillion 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Networking

12:00pm CDT

Pool Party

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Pool

Friday September 11, 2026 12:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas-Pool 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

Networking

3:00pm CDT

Tailgate Bus Departs for Austin

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 9:00pm CDT

The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas

Friday September 11, 2026 3:00pm - 9:00pm CDT
The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, Las Colinas 4150 N MacArthur Blvd, Irving, TX 75038, USA

6:30pm CDT

Texas vs Ohio State Football Game

Saturday September 12, 2026 6:30pm - 10:00pm CDT

Texas Memorial Stadium

Kickoff is expected on Saturday at 6:30 pm

Saturday September 12, 2026 6:30pm - 10:00pm CDT
Texas Memorial Stadium 2139 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78712

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