The Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards today appointed Rex Staples to the newly created position of director of investigations.

In his new position, Staples will lead a team responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance with the CFP Board's standards of professional conduct, according to the board. The CFP Board grants and administers the CFP certification, a designation held by 65,361 people in the U.S.

Staples will also be charged with "ensuring that investigations of any alleged wrongdoing continue to be conducted in an expedient and consistent manner, are a fair process for all participants and are credible to the public," the CFP Board stated in a press release. Staples will report to Michael P. Shaw, the CFP Board's managing director for professional standards and legal.

"Rex Staples will make an immediate impact on CFP Board's efforts to enforce the high standards of the CFP designation," Shaw said.

Staples previously served as general counsel for the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA), which represents securities administrators in each of the states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico and Canada.

Before NASAA, Staples worked for the Washington State Securities Division for nearly ten years, last serving as the branch chief for enforcement and compliance.

-Jim McConville