Reuters first with FINRA CEO pay, 2009 results

Reuters was hours ahead of the competition in reporting the 2009 results of Wall Street regulator FINRA on Oct 1. Reuters had anticipated the release of FINRA’s annual report, which is the only time the organization reveals its financial results, executive compensation and investment activities — all of which had become the subject of controversy in recent years. When the report hit FINRA’s website, Reuters quickly issued alerts and a series of updates, beating Dow Jones and Bloomberg to the punch. The final story emphasized that FINRA CEO Rick Ketchum was earning $1 million a year, and it also showed how investment returns had rebounded from 2008. The story was widely read in brokerage and regulatory circles.