Business Continuity

Firm Policy

The policy of MEA is to respond to a Significant Business Disruption ("SBD") by safeguarding employees' lives and firm property, making a financial and operational assessment, quickly recovering and resuming operations, protecting all of the firm's books and records, and to the extent practicable, allowing our customers to transact business as soon as possible following such SBD. In the event that MEA determines that it is unable to continue its business, the firm will take steps to assure customers prompt access to investments and the underlying issuers of those investments.

Significant Business Disruptions ("SBDs")

The Business Continuity Plan (the "Plan") anticipates two kinds of SBDs, internal and external. Internal SBDs affect only the ability of MEA to communicate and do business, such as a fire in its building. External SBDs prevent the operation of the securities markets or a number of firms, such as a terrorist attack, a city flood, or a wide-scale, regional disruption. The response of MEA to an external SBD relies more heavily on other organizations and systems. 

BCP Designated Principal - Approval and Execution Authority

Michael W. Mitchell (the "BCP Designated Principal") is the registered and designated principal responsible for approving the Plan on behalf of MEA, and for conducting the required annual review. The BCP Designated Principal or his designee has the authority to execute this Plan.

Plan Location and Access

MEA will maintain copies of the Plan and the annual reviews, and the changes that have been made to it. MEA will make such records available for inspection by FINRA and the SEC. An electronic copy of the Plan is located on MEA's main server drive labeled "S" and in the folder named "Admin/BD/BCP". 

Updates and Annual Review

MEA will update the Plan whenever there is a material change to the operations, structure, business or location of the firm. In addition, MEA will review this Plan annually, on or before 12/31 of each respective year, to modify it for any changes in the operations, structure, business, or location of the firm.