Who We Are
With over 80 years of combined hands on experience in regulated financial services and Fintech, including Web3, Banking as a Service (BaaS) and launching financial products, along with a team that includes former prominent regulators, we are uniquely positioned to bring one of a kind engagements to our clients that are tailored specifically to their needs.
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Our founding principle is to maximize the value that human connections, experiences, new technologies and financial products can bring to our clients, partners and the world.
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At PAARC, we treasure the opportunity of working with every client and partner to bring their vision to life. PAARC’s advisory practice helps any organization launch a financial product from the ground up while mitigating risk and ensuring regulatory compliance. Whether it’s a bank establishing a new Fintech division or a company launching a new financial product, such as a card program (credit, debit or prepaid), domestic or cross border payments program or integrating a new crypto and Web3 products into their existing product suite. Strategic advisory engagements also include any AI related work, including the development of a market leading GRC framework for AI development companies to financial institutions integrating AI tools and workflows into their operations. With a team that includes former regulators, licensing engagements are streamlined and customized to fit the individual needs and product offering of each client. Compliance and Risk engagements include program development, outsourcing and testing of key areas such as Anti-Money Laundering, Consumer Protection, State Compliance, Privacy and Security.
Our Team
Luis Trujillo
Founder & Managing Partner
Luis Trujillo is the Founder and Managing Partner of PAARC. He leads strategic advisory engagements for the firm. Luis helps organizations bring new financial products to market, develop governance, risk and compliance programs, establish strategic partnerships and secure regulatory licenses.
As a former prominent regulator at the North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks and seasoned C-Level executive at regulated financial institutions and financial technology firms, he has directly supervised or worked with some of the most innovative companies around the globe over the past two decades. Companies he has directly supervised or worked with include: Alviere, Amazon Payments, AutoPayPlus, Block (formerly Square), Coinbase, Google Payments, Microsoft Payments, MoneyGram, OneMain Financial, Paypal, Springleaf Financial, Uphold and Western Union to name a few. Luis knows what it takes to succeed in regulated industries. Along the way, Luis has built life long and trusted partnerships for the level of expertise that he holds in the space and the quality of work that he produces. Luis founded PAARC because he is passionate about innovation and thrives in finding solutions to the challenges and complexities of financial services, Fintech and AI.
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Luis is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, holds a Master's of Science in Accounting and Business degree from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor's of Business Administration from South University, Savannah.
Christian Coupet, CAMS
Managing Director
With over 15 years of expertise in Fintech, MSB, regulatory compliance, and risk management, Christian Coupet has shaped a career that encompasses strategic guidance, process development and improvement and regulatory compliance excellence.
Throughout his career, Christian has amassed substantial experience in crafting and sustaining robust regulatory compliance programs tailored to various Money Services Business (MSB) products, encompassing money transmission, prepaid access, and bill payments. He has held senior and executive roles at companies such as JPay, Avid Exchange, Alviere, and held senior consulting roles at Chartwell Compliance. Beyond his proficiency in BSA/AML, his expertise extends to developing comprehensive programs covering OFAC, consumer privacy (GLBA), CFPB remittance transfer rule (Reg E), consumer fraud, anti-bribery (FCPA), sanctions screening, and transaction monitoring and reporting.
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In addition, Christian serves as a subject matter expert, specializing in state regulatory licensing and compliance matters. His profound insights and expertise play a pivotal role in providing strategic guidance and vigilant oversight throughout the acquisition and maintenance of licenses, spanning money transmission, consumer lending, and cryptocurrency. This encompasses adeptly navigating regulatory examinations and providing practical insights to ensure continuous compliance and positive standing with regulators.
Daniel Neier, CISSP, CEH, CPT, CMMC, QSA
Managing Director
Daniel Neier leads all cybersecurity engagements for the firm. With over 15 years of experience in cybersecurity, during which time he has led highly sensitive security engagements for large corporations such as AT&T, PWC, and Trustwave. Daniel is a combat veteran and former Intelligence Officer who was intimately involved in counterintelligence and paramilitary operations both within the U.S and abroad. His unique experience and training gives him the ability to work seamlessly under fast paced and high stress environments. It also gives him the unique ability to provide our clients the strategies to maintain best in class security programs, strong controls over their IT systems and infrastructure.
As a Certified information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified PCI-QSA, Certified Ethical Hacker, ISO27001 lead implementer and lead auditor, Daniel helps our clients establish and maintain a PCI-DSS, SOC2 and ISO27001 compliance security program. Daniel also holds the certifications of Payment Card Industry Professional and Certified Penetration Tester.
Daniel holds a Master of Science degree in Information Security Systems and a Master of Arts in International Security with concentrations in Intelligence and Strategy & Arms Control from the University of Denver. Daniel also holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Francis Marion University.
Kris Welch, CAMS, CRCM, CCCE
Senior Advisor
Kris Welch holds more than 35 years of regulatory compliance experience for depository and non-depository financial institutions. Prior to PAARC, Kris led BSA/AML/OFAC engagements for the Bates Group, CorCom LLC, Capital Compliance and BlackLine Advisory Group. She also was the Vice President at Chartwell Compliance and Regulatory Risk Management and held senior compliance roles at Heritage Bank where she was the Chief Compliance Officer and Wells Fargo where she served on the BSA Team.
Throughout her career, Kris has held the following industry certifications, Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM), and Certified Commercial Cannabis Expert (CCCE)—specialized skills and knowledge that have provided subject matter expertise to countless companies over the years. Kris has established, coordinated, and maintained effective compliance programs for financial institutions that resulted in improving their regulatory compliance ratings. Her broad BSA/AML/OFAC review experience has commissioned Kris to work with Banks and some of the largest Payday Lenders, Foreign Exchange Companies. Money Transmitters, Check Cashers, Payment Processors, and insured financial institutions both domestically and internationally.
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