[5] The organization advocates to lawmakers on issues ranging from infrastructure spending, Department of Labor regulations, and SEC rulings.

[12] After the 2006 merger which created SIFMA, the organization had a co-CEO structure, with the SIA's Marc E. Lackritz and BMA's Micah S. Green filling the positions.

However, with slower-than-hoped-for integration of the merged organization's operations, and with questions about the handling of executive loans by BMA, Green resigned abruptly that year and Lackritz assumed the role of sole CEO.

All Board members have the authority to represent the views of their firms and are elected on a staggered basis by the SIFMA membership.

The board consists of Chairman Jim Reynolds (Loop Capital Markets), Chair-Elect Ken Cella (Edward Jones), Vice-Chair Laura Peters Chepucavage (Bank of America), and Treasurer Lisa Kidd Hunt (Charles Schwab).

[18] Ryan wrote in a USA Today editorial in August 2009 that compensation practices at financial services firms should align with long-term, not short-term, performance.

[20] In 2011, Ryan's compensation was the highest among the leaders of 22 self-regulatory, dealer, governmental, and other groups in the municipal bond market, at $3.0 million.