In re Church

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 Before the 
 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
 
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 
Release No. 94249 / February 15, 2022 
 
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING 
File No. 3-20772 
 
In the Matter of 
 
Church, Gregory, Adams 
Securities Corporation,  
 
Respondent. 
 
ORDER INSTITUTING 
ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND-
DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO 
SECTIONS 15(b) AND 21C OF THE 
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, 
MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING 
REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE-
AND-DESIST ORDER  
   
 
I. 
 
 The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate and in the 
public interest that public administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, 
instituted pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange 
Act”) against Church, Gregory, Adams Securities Corporation (“Church, Gregory, Adams 
Securities” or “Respondent”).   
 
II. 
 
In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer 
of Settlement (the “Offer”) which the Commission has determined to accept.  Solely for the 
purpose of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the 
Commission, or to which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings  
herein, except as to the Commission’s jurisdiction over it and the subject matter of these 
proceedings, which are admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting 
Administrative and Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a 
Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.   
 
III. 
  
 On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds that:  
 
 
 
 

 2 
 
Summary 
 
1. This matter involves Church, Gregory, Adams Securities’ failure to file with the 
Commission and to deliver to retail investors a Form CRS that complies with the requirements of 
Rule 17a-14.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities was required to file its initial Form CRS with the 
Commission and to begin delivering its Form CRS to prospective and new retail investors, as 
applicable, by June 30, 2020.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities was further required to deliver 
its Form CRS to existing retail investor customers by July 30, 2020.  The firm failed to file and 
deliver Form CRS by these deadlines.  Although Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed a Form 
CRS on March 30, 2021, the Form CRS failed to include certain information and language 
required by Rule 17a-14.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities did not file and deliver an updated 
Form CRS with the additional information until December 13, 2021 and December 17, 2021, 
respectively.  As a result, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities violated Exchange Act Section 
17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 
 
Respondent 
 
2. Church, Gregory, Adams Securities is a Georgia corporation with its principal place 
of business in Decatur, GA.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities is registered with the Commission 
as a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 15 of the Exchange Act.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities 
offers services to retail investors.   
 
Facts 
 
3. On June 5, 2019, the Commission adopted Form CRS and rules creating new 
requirements—the Form CRS Filing Requirement and the Form CRS Delivery Requirement 
(collectively, the “Requirements”)—for Commission-registered broker-dealers offering services to 
a retail investor.
1
  See Form CRS Relationship Summary; Amendments to Form ADV, Release 
Nos. 34-86032 & IA-5247 (June 5, 2019) (effective September 10, 2019) (“Form CRS Adopting 
Release”). 
 
4. The Form CRS Filing Requirement.  First, Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange Act 
requires all Commission-registered broker-dealers offering services to a retail investor (“Retail 
BDs”) to electronically file on the Central Registration Depository (“Web CRD”) operated by the 
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) an initial Form CRS satisfying the 
requirements of Rule 17a-14 no later than June 30, 2020. 
 
5. The Form CRS Delivery Requirement.  Second, Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange 
Act requires Retail BDs to deliver their current Form CRS to each retail investor.  Specifically, 
under Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange Act, the Retail BD must deliver:  
(1) to each retail investor its current Form CRS before or at the earliest of:  
                                                 
1
  For purposes of Form CRS, the term “retail investor” means “a natural person, or the 
legal representative of such natural person, who seeks to receive or receives services primarily 
for personal, family or household purposes.”  Rule 17a-14(e)(2) under the Exchange Act. 

 3 
 a recommendation of an account type, a securities transaction, or an 
investment strategy involving securities; 
 placing an order for the retail investor; or 
 the opening of a brokerage account for the retail investor. 
(2) to each retail investor who is an existing customer the Retail BD’s current Form CRS 
before or at the time the firm: 
 opens a new account that is different from the retail investor customer’s 
existing account(s); 
 recommends that the retail investor customer roll over assets from a 
retirement account into a new or existing account or investment; or 
 recommends or provides a new brokerage service or investment that does 
not necessarily involve the opening of a new account and would not be held 
in an existing account. 
See Rule 17a-14(c)(1) & (c)(2).  Rule 17a-14 also requires Retail BDs to post their current Form 
CRS prominently on their website, if they have one, in a location and format that is easily 
accessible to retail investors.  The deadline for Retail BDs to begin complying with the Form CRS 
Delivery Requirement was June 30, 2020 for prospective and new retail investors and July 30, 
2020 for the initial delivery to existing retail investor customers.  See Rule 17a-14(f)(3); Form CRS 
Adopting Release at 239, 242, 406-407; Instructions to Form CRS, General Instruction 7.C (Sept. 
2019). 
 
6. Rule 17a-14(b)(1) requires Retail BDs to prepare their Forms CRS by following the 
instructions in the form.  The Instructions to Form CRS identify specific information and language 
to be included in Form CRS.  See Instructions to Form CRS (Sept. 2019).  
 
7. Church, Gregory, Adams Securities did not file its Form CRS by June 30, 2020 and 
did not deliver its Form CRS to retail customers by July 30, 2020 and thus failed to comply with 
the Requirements by its regulatory deadlines.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed its Form 
CRS and delivered Form CRS to its existing retail investor customers on March 30, 2021.  
Moreover, the Form CRS filed by Church, Gregory, Adams Securities on March 30, 2021 failed to 
include certain language and information specified in the Instructions to Form CRS and required 
by Rule 17a-14.  On or about December 13, 2021, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed an 
updated Form CRS with additional information and language required by Rule 17a-14, and 
delivered the updated Form CRS to existing retail investor customers on December 17, 2021.     
 
Violations 
 
8. As a result of the conduct described above, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities 
willfully
2
 violated Exchange Act Section 17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 
                                                 
2
  “Willfully,” for purposes of imposing relief under Section 15(b) of the Exchange Act 
“‘means no more than that the person charged with the duty knows what he is doing.’”  Wonsover 

 4 
 
 
IV. 
 In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to 
impose the sanctions agreed to in Respondent Church, Gregory, Adams Securities’ Offer. 
 
 Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the Exchange Act, it is hereby 
ORDERED that: 
 
 A. Respondent cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any 
future violations of Exchange Act Section 17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 
 
B.  Respondent is censured. 
 
C. Respondent shall pay a civil money penalty in the amount of $10,000 to the 
Securities and Exchange Commission for transfer to the general fund of the United States 
Treasury, subject to Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Section 21F(g)(3).  Payment shall be made in 
the following installments:  $2,500 to be paid within 10 days of the entry of the Order; $2,500 to be 
paid within 120 days of the entry of the Order; $2,500 to be paid within 240 days of the entry of 
the Order; and $2,500 to be paid within 350 days of entry of the Order.  Payments shall be applied 
first to post-Order interest, which accrues pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3717.  Prior to making the final 
payment set forth herein, Respondent shall contact the staff of the Commission for the amount due.  
If Respondent fails to make any payment by the date agreed and/or in the amount agreed according 
to the schedule set forth above, all outstanding payments under the Order, including post-order 
interest, minus any payments made, shall become due and payable immediately at the discretion of 
the staff of the Commission and without further application to the Commission.   
 
Payment must be made in one of the following ways:   
 
(1) Respondent may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which 
will provide detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request;  
 
(2) Respondent may make direct payment from a bank account via Pay.gov 
through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm; or  
 
(3) Respondent may pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United 
States postal money order, made payable to the Securities and Exchange 
Commission and hand-delivered or mailed to:  
                                                 
v. SEC, 205 F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (quoting Hughes v. SEC, 174 F.2d 969, 977 (D.C. Cir. 
1949)).  There is no requirement that the actor “also be aware that he is violating one of the Rules 
or Acts.”  Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).  The decision in The Robare Group, Ltd. v. 
SEC, which construed the term “willfully” for purposes of a differently structured statutory 
provision, does not alter that standard.  922 F.3d 468, 478-79 (D.C. Cir. 2019) (setting forth the 
showing required to establish that a person has “willfully omit[ted]” material information from a 
required disclosure in violation of Section 207 of the Advisers Act). 

 5 
 
Enterprise Services Center 
Accounts Receivable Branch 
HQ Bldg., Room 181, AMZ-341 
6500 South MacArthur Boulevard 
Oklahoma City, OK 73169 
 
Payments by check or money order must be accompanied by a cover letter identifying Church, 
Gregory, Adams Securities as a Respondent in these proceedings, and the file number of these 
proceedings; a copy of the cover letter and check or money order must be sent to Jennifer S. Leete, 
Associate Director, Division of Enforcement, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F. St. NE, 
Washington, DC 20549, or such other person or address as the Commission staff may provide. 
 
 D. Amounts ordered to be paid as civil money penalties pursuant to this Order shall be 
treated as penalties paid to the government for all purposes, including all tax purposes.  To 
preserve the deterrent effect of the civil penalty, Respondent agrees that in any Related Investor 
Action, it shall not argue that it is entitled to, nor shall it benefit by, offset or reduction of any 
award of compensatory damages by the amount of any part of Respondent’s payment of a civil 
penalty in this action (“Penalty Offset”).  If the court in any Related Investor Action grants such a 
Penalty Offset, Respondent agrees that it shall, within 30 days after entry of a final order granting 
the Penalty Offset, notify the Commission’s counsel in this action and pay the amount of the 
Penalty Offset to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Such a payment shall not be deemed 
an additional civil penalty and shall not be deemed to change the amount of the civil penalty 
imposed in this proceeding.  For purposes of this paragraph, a “Related Investor Action” means a 
private damages action brought against Respondent by or on behalf of one or more investors based 
on substantially the same facts as alleged in the Order instituted by the Commission in this 
proceeding. 
 
 
 By the Commission. 
 
 
 
Vanessa A. Countryman 
       Secretary 
 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

 Before the 

 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

 

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 

Release No. 94249 / February 15, 2022 

 

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEEDING 

File No. 3-20772 

 

In the Matter of 

 

Church, Gregory, Adams 

Securities Corporation,  

 

Respondent. 

 

ORDER INSTITUTING 

ADMINISTRATIVE AND CEASE-AND-

DESIST PROCEEDINGS PURSUANT TO 

SECTIONS 15(b) AND 21C OF THE 

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, 

MAKING FINDINGS, AND IMPOSING 

REMEDIAL SANCTIONS AND A CEASE-

AND-DESIST ORDER  

   

 

I. 
 

 The Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) deems it appropriate and in the 

public interest that public administrative and cease-and-desist proceedings be, and hereby are, 

instituted pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange 

Act”) against Church, Gregory, Adams Securities Corporation (“Church, Gregory, Adams 

Securities” or “Respondent”).   

 

II. 
 

In anticipation of the institution of these proceedings, Respondent has submitted an Offer 

of Settlement (the “Offer”) which the Commission has determined to accept.  Solely for the 

purpose of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the 

Commission, or to which the Commission is a party, and without admitting or denying the findings  

herein, except as to the Commission’s jurisdiction over it and the subject matter of these 

proceedings, which are admitted, Respondent consents to the entry of this Order Instituting 

Administrative and Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the 

Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a 

Cease-and-Desist Order (“Order”), as set forth below.   

 

III. 
  

 On the basis of this Order and Respondent’s Offer, the Commission finds that:  

 

 

 

 



 2 

 

Summary 
 

1. This matter involves Church, Gregory, Adams Securities’ failure to file with the 

Commission and to deliver to retail investors a Form CRS that complies with the requirements of 

Rule 17a-14.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities was required to file its initial Form CRS with the 

Commission and to begin delivering its Form CRS to prospective and new retail investors, as 

applicable, by June 30, 2020.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities was further required to deliver 

its Form CRS to existing retail investor customers by July 30, 2020.  The firm failed to file and 

deliver Form CRS by these deadlines.  Although Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed a Form 

CRS on March 30, 2021, the Form CRS failed to include certain information and language 

required by Rule 17a-14.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities did not file and deliver an updated 

Form CRS with the additional information until December 13, 2021 and December 17, 2021, 

respectively.  As a result, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities violated Exchange Act Section 

17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 

 

Respondent 

 

2. Church, Gregory, Adams Securities is a Georgia corporation with its principal place 

of business in Decatur, GA.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities is registered with the Commission 

as a broker-dealer pursuant to Section 15 of the Exchange Act.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities 

offers services to retail investors.   

 

Facts 

 

3. On June 5, 2019, the Commission adopted Form CRS and rules creating new 

requirements—the Form CRS Filing Requirement and the Form CRS Delivery Requirement 

(collectively, the “Requirements”)—for Commission-registered broker-dealers offering services to 

a retail investor.1  See Form CRS Relationship Summary; Amendments to Form ADV, Release 

Nos. 34-86032 & IA-5247 (June 5, 2019) (effective September 10, 2019) (“Form CRS Adopting 

Release”). 

 

4. The Form CRS Filing Requirement.  First, Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange Act 

requires all Commission-registered broker-dealers offering services to a retail investor (“Retail 

BDs”) to electronically file on the Central Registration Depository (“Web CRD”) operated by the 

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”) an initial Form CRS satisfying the 

requirements of Rule 17a-14 no later than June 30, 2020. 

 

5. The Form CRS Delivery Requirement.  Second, Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange 

Act requires Retail BDs to deliver their current Form CRS to each retail investor.  Specifically, 

under Rule 17a-14 under the Exchange Act, the Retail BD must deliver:  

(1) to each retail investor its current Form CRS before or at the earliest of:  

                                                 
1  For purposes of Form CRS, the term “retail investor” means “a natural person, or the 

legal representative of such natural person, who seeks to receive or receives services primarily 

for personal, family or household purposes.”  Rule 17a-14(e)(2) under the Exchange Act. 



 3 

 a recommendation of an account type, a securities transaction, or an 

investment strategy involving securities; 

 placing an order for the retail investor; or 

 the opening of a brokerage account for the retail investor. 

(2) to each retail investor who is an existing customer the Retail BD’s current Form CRS 

before or at the time the firm: 

 opens a new account that is different from the retail investor customer’s 

existing account(s); 

 recommends that the retail investor customer roll over assets from a 

retirement account into a new or existing account or investment; or 

 recommends or provides a new brokerage service or investment that does 

not necessarily involve the opening of a new account and would not be held 

in an existing account. 

See Rule 17a-14(c)(1) & (c)(2).  Rule 17a-14 also requires Retail BDs to post their current Form 

CRS prominently on their website, if they have one, in a location and format that is easily 

accessible to retail investors.  The deadline for Retail BDs to begin complying with the Form CRS 

Delivery Requirement was June 30, 2020 for prospective and new retail investors and July 30, 

2020 for the initial delivery to existing retail investor customers.  See Rule 17a-14(f)(3); Form CRS 

Adopting Release at 239, 242, 406-407; Instructions to Form CRS, General Instruction 7.C (Sept. 

2019). 

 

6. Rule 17a-14(b)(1) requires Retail BDs to prepare their Forms CRS by following the 

instructions in the form.  The Instructions to Form CRS identify specific information and language 

to be included in Form CRS.  See Instructions to Form CRS (Sept. 2019).  

 

7. Church, Gregory, Adams Securities did not file its Form CRS by June 30, 2020 and 

did not deliver its Form CRS to retail customers by July 30, 2020 and thus failed to comply with 

the Requirements by its regulatory deadlines.  Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed its Form 

CRS and delivered Form CRS to its existing retail investor customers on March 30, 2021.  

Moreover, the Form CRS filed by Church, Gregory, Adams Securities on March 30, 2021 failed to 

include certain language and information specified in the Instructions to Form CRS and required 

by Rule 17a-14.  On or about December 13, 2021, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities filed an 

updated Form CRS with additional information and language required by Rule 17a-14, and 

delivered the updated Form CRS to existing retail investor customers on December 17, 2021.     

 

Violations 

 

8. As a result of the conduct described above, Church, Gregory, Adams Securities 

willfully2 violated Exchange Act Section 17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 

                                                 
2  “Willfully,” for purposes of imposing relief under Section 15(b) of the Exchange Act 

“‘means no more than that the person charged with the duty knows what he is doing.’”  Wonsover 



 4 

 

 

IV. 

 In view of the foregoing, the Commission deems it appropriate and in the public interest to 

impose the sanctions agreed to in Respondent Church, Gregory, Adams Securities’ Offer. 

 

 Accordingly, pursuant to Sections 15(b) and 21C of the Exchange Act, it is hereby 

ORDERED that: 

 

 A. Respondent cease and desist from committing or causing any violations and any 

future violations of Exchange Act Section 17(a)(1) and Rule 17a-14 thereunder. 

 

B.  Respondent is censured. 

 

C. Respondent shall pay a civil money penalty in the amount of $10,000 to the 

Securities and Exchange Commission for transfer to the general fund of the United States 

Treasury, subject to Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Section 21F(g)(3).  Payment shall be made in 

the following installments:  $2,500 to be paid within 10 days of the entry of the Order; $2,500 to be 

paid within 120 days of the entry of the Order; $2,500 to be paid within 240 days of the entry of 

the Order; and $2,500 to be paid within 350 days of entry of the Order.  Payments shall be applied 

first to post-Order interest, which accrues pursuant to 31 U.S.C. § 3717.  Prior to making the final 

payment set forth herein, Respondent shall contact the staff of the Commission for the amount due.  

If Respondent fails to make any payment by the date agreed and/or in the amount agreed according 

to the schedule set forth above, all outstanding payments under the Order, including post-order 

interest, minus any payments made, shall become due and payable immediately at the discretion of 

the staff of the Commission and without further application to the Commission.   

 

Payment must be made in one of the following ways:   

 

(1) Respondent may transmit payment electronically to the Commission, which 

will provide detailed ACH transfer/Fedwire instructions upon request;  

 

(2) Respondent may make direct payment from a bank account via Pay.gov 

through the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm; or  

 

(3) Respondent may pay by certified check, bank cashier’s check, or United 

States postal money order, made payable to the Securities and Exchange 

Commission and hand-delivered or mailed to:  

                                                 

v. SEC, 205 F.3d 408, 414 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (quoting Hughes v. SEC, 174 F.2d 969, 977 (D.C. Cir. 

1949)).  There is no requirement that the actor “also be aware that he is violating one of the Rules 

or Acts.”  Tager v. SEC, 344 F.2d 5, 8 (2d Cir. 1965).  The decision in The Robare Group, Ltd. v. 

SEC, which construed the term “willfully” for purposes of a differently structured statutory 

provision, does not alter that standard.  922 F.3d 468, 478-79 (D.C. Cir. 2019) (setting forth the 

showing required to establish that a person has “willfully omit[ted]” material information from a 

required disclosure in violation of Section 207 of the Advisers Act). 

http://www.sec.gov/about/offices/ofm.htm


 5 

 

Enterprise Services Center 

Accounts Receivable Branch 

HQ Bldg., Room 181, AMZ-341 

6500 South MacArthur Boulevard 

Oklahoma City, OK 73169 

 

Payments by check or money order must be accompanied by a cover letter identifying Church, 

Gregory, Adams Securities as a Respondent in these proceedings, and the file number of these 

proceedings; a copy of the cover letter and check or money order must be sent to Jennifer S. Leete, 

Associate Director, Division of Enforcement, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F. St. NE, 

Washington, DC 20549, or such other person or address as the Commission staff may provide. 

 

 D. Amounts ordered to be paid as civil money penalties pursuant to this Order shall be 

treated as penalties paid to the government for all purposes, including all tax purposes.  To 

preserve the deterrent effect of the civil penalty, Respondent agrees that in any Related Investor 

Action, it shall not argue that it is entitled to, nor shall it benefit by, offset or reduction of any 

award of compensatory damages by the amount of any part of Respondent’s payment of a civil 

penalty in this action (“Penalty Offset”).  If the court in any Related Investor Action grants such a 

Penalty Offset, Respondent agrees that it shall, within 30 days after entry of a final order granting 

the Penalty Offset, notify the Commission’s counsel in this action and pay the amount of the 

Penalty Offset to the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Such a payment shall not be deemed 

an additional civil penalty and shall not be deemed to change the amount of the civil penalty 

imposed in this proceeding.  For purposes of this paragraph, a “Related Investor Action” means a 

private damages action brought against Respondent by or on behalf of one or more investors based 

on substantially the same facts as alleged in the Order instituted by the Commission in this 

proceeding. 

 

 

 By the Commission. 

 

 

 

Vanessa A. Countryman 

       Secretary