Michael Harding has been President/Chief Compliance Officer of Harding Financial Group since July 2005, is a control person of the firm and directly owns 75% or more of it. Michael Harding holds a B.S. in Financial Management from The Ohio State University.
Harding Financial Group, LLC is a Westerville, OH firm with $160M under management, 97 clients and 3 advisers in one office, as of its June 2026 filing.
Michael Harding is President & Portfolio Manager of Harding Financial Group. His primary responsibility is the development and implementation of tailored investment strategies across the firm's client base. Before founding the firm in 2005, he was an Executive Club member and Private Wealth Advisor at Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch.
Michael Harding’s longest registration is the current one, 21 years at Harding Financial Group since 2005. Before joining Harding Financial Group in 2005, Michael Harding was registered through Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc.
- Harding Financial GroupCurrent– present · 21 yearsWesterville, OH · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 135731
- Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc.– · 3 yearsDublin, OH · Adviser representative · Firm CRD 7691
Professional designations
Listed by Harding Financial Group
- CFP®
Investment adviser representative registrations
Michael Harding is registered as an investment adviser representative in 2 states. The first approvals date from August 2005; the most recent is Texas, in April 2022.
- OhioSince 16 August 2005
- TexasSince 14 April 2022
Examinations
| Exam | Name | Passed |
|---|---|---|
| Series 63 | Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination | 10 August 2000 |
| Series 31 | Futures Managed Funds Examination | 3 August 2000 |
| Series 65 | Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination | 26 July 2000 |
| Series 7 | General Securities Representative Examination | 19 July 2000 |
- Name
- Uniform Securities Agent State Law Examination
- Name
- Futures Managed Funds Examination
- Name
- Uniform Investment Adviser Law Examination
- Name
- General Securities Representative Examination
- Full name
- Michael Robert Harding
- CRD
- 4171553
- Firm
- Harding Financial Group · CRD 135731
- Role
- President/Chief Compliance Officer
- Office
- 608 OFFICE PARKWAY SUITE A, Westerville, OH 43082
- Registration
- Investment adviser registration
- In the industry since
- January 2002
- Disciplinary history
- Not yet shown here · SEC record
- Firm bio
- hardingfinancialgroup.com
Where does Michael Harding work?
Michael Harding has been President/Chief Compliance Officer of Harding Financial Group, LLC since July 2005, and is a control person of the firm.
Is Michael Harding a financial advisor?
Yes. Michael Harding has a current investment-adviser registration in Ohio and Texas, through Harding Financial Group since August 2005.
How many years of experience does Michael Harding have?
Michael Harding has 24 years in the financial industry, since January 2002, across 2 adviser firms.
What exams has Michael Harding passed?
Michael Harding has passed 4 licensing exams: the Series 7, Series 65, Series 31 and Series 63. The earliest, the Series 7, was passed in July 2000.
Where did Michael Harding work before Harding Financial Group?
Before Harding Financial Group, Michael Harding was registered through Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner & Smith Inc., January 2002 to August 2005.
Where is Michael Harding based?
Michael Harding’s registered office is in Westerville, OH.
Is Michael Harding registered with FINRA?
No. Michael Harding has no current broker registration.
Is Michael Harding a CFP?
Harding Financial Group lists Michael Harding with the CFP credential (“CFP®”) on its website. CFP Board confirms certification status.
Source: Michael R. Harding, CFP® biography, hardingfinancialgroup.com
How can I verify Michael Harding’s record?
Search CRD 4171553 on the SEC’s adviser search (adviserinfo.sec.gov), which publishes Michael Harding’s full registration record.