FINRA Offers Advanced Arbitrator Training Courses

Peter Ambrose began his career in the financial advisory field and leads Merrill Lynch in Northern Virginia with over two decades of experience. Also a former nominated member of Merrill Lynch’s Directors Advisory Council, Peter Ambrose is a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) arbitrator. FINRA offers a wide range of resources for financial industry professionals, such as advanced arbitrator training courses.

Advanced arbitrator training includes a series of voluntary subject-specific modules for dispute resolution. The modules provide continuing legal education (CLE) credit, and these CLE credits may qualify for arbitrator accreditation by certain state bar associations. FINRA offers two sets of web-based advanced training courses, only one of which requires prior registration. Those that do not require prior registration may be taken at no cost, and consist of a series of video courses that cover topics such as anti-money-laundering, arbitrator expense reporting, and digital recorder operation.

Courses that require prior registration are delivered through FINRA’s Learning Management System, which includes seven online courses. Available courses include chairperson training, expungement training, the direct communication rule, and civility in arbitration, among others.

For more information on advanced arbitrator training courses, visit finra.org/arbitration-and-mediation/advanced-arbitrator-training.

Thinking Strategically about Leadership in the Workplace

Peter Ambrose, director for the Merrill Lynch Northern Virginia market, focuses on strategic leadership in the workplace when managing people. Strategic leadership in the workplace is important for managing people effectively during transitional times. Peter Ambrose tries to be proactive about how he manages others by understanding where his employees are coming from, especially as new generations enter the workforce.

As Baby Boomers exit the workplace, new styles of thinking and leadership will come into play. It has been found that Millennials enjoy an unstructured workplace that allows for collaboration. This makes them more likely to adapt to dynamic workplaces. New employees from Generation Z, individuals born after 1998, will also enter the workforce soon. Since these individuals have only known life made possible by Google and social media, they will be proficient with new technology. On the other hand, they may have trouble with communication and conflict resolution.

Knowing about these new types of employees ahead of time will make for more effective communication with employees and better leadership in the workplace.

Guests at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club

A financial services professional with over a decade of experience at Merrill Lynch, Peter Ambrose serves on the American Stock Exchange Disciplinary Committee. Alongside his career in finance, Peter Ambrose enjoys playing golf and maintains membership in the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

Members of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club can bring up to three guests with them during peak use of the course, which occurs before 12 p.m. on weekends and on holidays. At other times, members may have as many as seven guests. Those times include two foursomes Tuesday through Friday and any time after 12 p.m. on holidays and weekends. The one exemption to the rules applies to those entertaining overnight guests: they may have up to seven guests, even before 12 p.m. on weekends and holidays. On Mondays, the limit goes up to 15 guests.

For more information about becoming a member of Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, visit www.rtjgc.com.

Posture Tips for the Golfer

In his professional time, Peter Ambrose serves as director of the Northern Virginia marketplace for Merrill Lynch. In his free time, Peter Ambrose of Merrill Lynch enjoys playing golf, and is a member of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.

As is true for any athlete, posture plays a key role in the development of a golfer's technique. Posture not only dictates a golfer's physical relationship to the ball, but also plays a key role in efficient cardiovascular, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and digestive functions. A golfer who approaches the ball with bad alignment cannot perform at peak, because the body is not performing at peak levels.

Many people in contemporary Western society have what experts call a forward posture, which occurs when the muscles in the hips tighten and pull the pelvis forward. Eventually, the torso pulls forward as well, the shoulder rounds, and the head tips forward. This alignment makes it impossible for the head and shoulders to twist properly, an essential motion for a golfer.

By attending to proper alignment through formal posture correction programs, the golfer can restore full range of motion to the torso and hips. Then, on the golf course, he or she can maintain this strong positioning by bending forward from the waist and keeping the shoulder blades flush against the back. With this straight alignment and a soft knee bend, the golfer can approach the ball with a stronger swing.

Peter Ambrose - Supporting Literacy

As director of Merilll Lynch’s Northern Virginia service area, Peter Ambrose has a significant amount of responsibility. He dedicates a good portion of his time making sure the employees under his direction are performing satisfactorily. However, he also dedicates time to social responsibilities when outside the office.

Mr. Ambrose is involved with the Wish You Well Foundation, which supports existing and developing literacy programs. The organization, founded by Michelle and David Baldacci, helps to fund a multitude of programs across the nation.

David Baldacci’s name may be familiar, as he brings to the table a significant professional investment in literacy. He is the author of 30 novels geared toward adults and five toward young readers.

If you’re looking to make an impact on literacy growth in America, the Wish You Well Foundation may be a venue to do that. The organization accepts donations from corporations and individuals through its website.

Habitat for Humanity Releases Its Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Report

With over a decade of experience as a Merrill Lynch executive, Peter Ambrose manages the employees and activities at several Merrill Lynch offices as the director of the company’s operations in northern Virginia. Outside of his professional pursuits, Peter Ambrose dedicates his time and resources to several charitable causes and organizations, including Habitat for Humanity.

In 2015, Habitat for Humanity helped improve housing conditions for more than 1.8 million people, according to its recently released annual report, titled Together We Build. The report breaks down Habitat’s efforts by region and highlights some of the stories of individuals and families in over 70 countries who benefited last year from its work, including new home construction projects, renovations and repairs, and disaster-response efforts.

Habitat’s fiscal year 2015 annual report also recognizes the individual donors and sponsors who helped make its recent projects possible. In addition, it identifies how many people have been affected by the organization’s housing opportunities and solutions since Habitat was founded nearly four decades ago. To view the report, visit www.habitat.org/multimedia/annual-report-2015.

Amenities at the River Bend Golf and Country Club

Peter Ambrose, director of Merrill Lynch's northern Virginia marketplace, is an avid golfer in his free time. When Peter Ambrose is not working at Merrill Lynch, he enjoys taking time to play at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club and the River Bend Golf and Country Club.

The River Bend Golf and Country Club in Great Falls, Virginia, offers a memorable golf experience as well as access to athletic and event facilities. Its par 71 course spans 7,000 yards and features a state-of-the-art watering system to keep the grass in top shape. Golfers can also make use of the facility's well-equipped practice facility, which features an indoor hitting station and nine-hole executive course. Host to a number of events and tournaments, including the Dogwood Three-Day Member-Guest and Member-Member Championships, the club offers instruction to golfers at all levels.

Club members also have the opportunity to enjoy the facility's fitness and wellness program, which features individual training and group classes as well as a fully equipped fitness center. This program is the newest addition to the club's range of amenities, which includes a 25-meter heated swimming pool with diving area and a tennis program for all ages. Fine dining, featuring the work of a chef educated at the Four Seasons as well as available event space and catering, rounds out the River Bend experience.

A Brief History of the Ryder Cup

Peter Ambrose has spent the last eight years heading operations at Merrill Lynch in McLean, Virginia, as the director of the northern Virginia region. When he is not managing the Merrill Lynch offices and financial advisors, Peter Ambrose likes to stay active playing golf.

The Ryder Cup is a biannual golfing competition, contested between European and American golf teams, which follows a traditional match play format. Established in 1927, it ranks as one of the oldest international sporting events in American history. Originally, the Ryder Cup only involved U.S. and British teams. Between 1927 and 1935, the respective teams took turns hosting the event every four years. For the first five contests, the hosting team won, until the U.S. broke the trend in 1937.

The Ryder Cup resumed after World War II in 1947. Over the next two decades, Great Britain and Ireland managed just one victory and one draw. The extensive period of American dominance resulted in the British team expanding to include all nations in continental Europe. Since that time, America has won the Ryder Cup on seven occasions and drawn once, compared to nine wins for Europe, including seven of the last nine competitions. The U.S. leads the overall series 25 to 13, with two draws.                            

Developing Good Timing Can Benefit Your Tennis Game

Good timing is a key to playing well. A suitable playing rhythm comes naturally to players who grew up with the game. It is more difficult to achieve for an adult learning tennis.

Many novice players stay too close to the baseline, preferring to accumulate points by hitting short-distance balls. However, this reduces the time available for hitting the ball, and causes muscle contractions that interfere with overall technique. Stand about two or three yards back from the baseline. Doing so gives you time to adjust to an incoming shot and allows you to use more of the court. As a bonus, you will have less reason to worry about hitting too long, since the opponent's baseline is further away. If you’re new to the game, avoid playing solely for points; this will help you in the long run.

Following these suggestions can help you find an effortless rhythm of hitting the ball as it descends. This will in make the game that much more enjoyable.

United Way Launches Center on Human Trafficking and Slavery

Peter Ambrose leverages more than two decades of experience in the financial industry to
serve as the director of Merrill Lynch’s Northern Virginia office. Outside of his endeavors
with Merrill Lynch, Peter Ambrose remains actively involved in his community through his
involvement with a number of organizations, including United Way.

Recently, government officials, leading nonprofits, and other groups gathered at United
Way Worldwide to celebrate the opening of its United Way Center on Human Trafficking
and Slavery. United Way explained that the center is designed to address the multifaceted
issue of modern slavery through collaborative partnerships that generate and execute
solutions in an effort to end the $150 billion business.

The United Way Center hosted a Leadership Forum to Combat Human Trafficking that
included a series of multi-sector talks on partnership development. The United Way Center will continue to unite top organizations to facilitate a greater response to human
trafficking, providing additional services for survivors, better victim identification, and
increased prevention efforts.                            

Peter Ambrose on River Bend Golf and Country Club

Located in Great Falls, Virginia, River Bend Golf and Country Club has functioned as a prestigious, member-owned country club since its creation in 1961. A family-focused facility, River Bend Golf and Country Club offers a number of recreational diversions.

Golfers appreciate the club’s 18-hole course set amidst the countryside of northern Virginia. A par 71 course, it features stonework walls, bridge frames, rolling hills, and streams. Moreover, its practice facility sits on 16 acres and consists of six target greens, a 75-yard short game, five bunkers, and a number of other amenities.

Youths and adults who are interested in tennis can play social or competitive games at the club. People can sign up for lessons with staff professionals who provide education, fun, and exercise when teaching people how to enhance their abilities.

Those who enjoy the water can relax and swim in the club’s 25-meter heated pool. A recent addition to River Bend Golf and Country Club, the pool area also contains a walk-up bar, a premier restaurant, and a pool house.

About the Author

Financial executive Peter Ambrose has spent much of the past decade with Merrill Lynch, where he currently is the Director of the firm’s northern Virginia branch. He recently became a member of River Bend Golf and Country Club.