Agenda

Pre-Conference Peer Exchanges | Monday | June 13

Bank Audit and Risk Peer Exchanges
Bank Director hosts its popular peer exchanges the day prior to our annual Bank Audit & Risk Committees Conference. Small groups of experienced audit and risk committee members, as well as senior bank executives – along with outside advisors – meet in closed-door, off-the-record peer groups for candid discussions about various issues and challenges facing officers and directors today. Peer exchange groups are assigned by title (director vs. bank officer), bank type (public vs. private) and asset size. Be sure to register for this pre-conference add on! To view the peer exchange agenda, please click here.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Networking Peer + Guest Reception
To cap off the day, we invite all participants – and their guests – to join us for refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres.

Conference Day One | Tuesday | June 14

Today’s sessions touch on governance, enterprise risk management, accounting issues, regulation, cybersecurity, tax planning, cannabis banking, ESG issues and strategic planning. By design, Day One of the Bank Audit & Risk Committees Conference covers wide ground in a short period of time to help participants understand the complexities of the financial sector.

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast & Registration

8:00 AM – 8:10 AM
Welcoming Remarks
Michelle King, President, CEO, Bank Director

8:10 AM – 9:00 AM
Making Sense of Banking Today
Brandon Koeser, Industry Analyst, RSM US LLP
Given the current state of banking, we “set the table” for today’s presentations by addressing economic trends, industry themes, operating conditions and areas of potential opportunity for those banks attending this annual conference.

9:00 AM – 9:50 AM
Responding to Government Investigations: Considerations for Audit and Risk Committees
Kevin Toomey, Partner, Arnold & Porter
Erik Walsh, Counsel, Arnold & Porter
Moderated by: Valarie Hays, Partner, Arnold & Porter
In this session we discuss key considerations for audit and risk committees when their institution or employees become the subject of a government investigation. What roles might the committees play? What do your regulators expect? What are the considerations for engaging with outside counsel? What are the privilege and disclosure concerns? What should you be communicating to the external auditors and regulators?

9:50 AM – 10:05 AM
Refreshment Break

10:05 AM – 10:55 AM
The Top Risks Faced By Banks Over the Next 18 Months
Gary Bronstein, Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Kyle Manny, Partner, Plante Moran
Kamal Mustafa, Chairman, Invictus Group
Moderated by: Naomi Synder, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director
There are countless risks facing banks today. What are the most prominent ones, and what can your bank do to mitigate these risks as efficiently and effectively as possible?

11:05 AM – 11:55 AM
Breakout Sessions (select one)
Participants have the opportunity to select from one of three breakout sessions to attend, all of which are high-level in focus.

Breakout I: Maximizing Your Outsourced Relationships During the Great Resignation
Craig Sanders, Partner, Moss Adams LLP
Noory Song, Senior Manager, Moss Adams LLP
In this session, we explore the impact of the great resignation on staffing and the use of outsourced partners to enable the institution to support its operations.

Breakout II: Saving the World Without Breaking the Bank: Navigating ESG
Gregg Anderson, Managing Director, Crowe LLP
Your bank can contribute to saving the world without trying to do everything all at once. The effect of banking ESG is cumulative: if every bank does their part, focuses on strategies that make sense in terms of the business and moves in the right direction, we can make large-scale changes together. If you believe ESG involves sacrificing profitability, it may be time to change the way you think. Many important banking ESG initiatives can create significant, quantifiable value for the business. You may already be doing more than you realize. One of the first steps toward a more complete ESG program involves categorizing and highlighting current strategies and programs that can fit into an ESG framework. The session provides examples of practical, business-friendly ESG initiatives and improvements for banks of various asset sizes.

Breakout III: The Classic Lending Juggling Act: Managing Concurrent Loan Growth & Credit Quality Pressures in an Uncertain Environment
David Ruffin, Principal, IntelliCredit, A Division of QwickRate
In the modern banking times, rarely have these two forces been of equal intensity at the same time – but they are and are presenting bank boards and management with competing, yet necessary strategy decisions. All the forces aligning to complicate commercial bank lending strategies (the evolving economy and prototypical borrower, the macroeconomic forces and the post-COVID credit risk fallout) have coalesced to present bank risk strategists with some daunting challenges. It would be a fool’s errand to ignore the need to regain sustainable loan growth or likewise to presume the current stellar credit quality metrics will last. In this session, we discuss ways to balance the priorities and quantify the key portfolio metrics, particularly from a bank’s risk management perspective.

12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Networking Lunch

1:15 PM – 2:05 PM
Breakout Sessions (select one)
These afternoon breakout sessions highlight topics related to CECL, data and accounting and cover strategies for growing a bank.

Breakout I: Credit Risk in 2022 – How CECL is Impacting M&A
Kevin Brand, Senior Manager, Crowe LLP
With the resurgent deal volume of 2021, new risks following the pandemic and changes in regulation regarding accounting for purchased loans, it may be time to take a fresh look at your M&A strategy. Along with that, new factors need to be taken into account for credit valuations and deal modeling. In this session, we discuss some key changes seen in the M&A environment as a result of CECL, the continued emphasis on credit diligence and challenges in overall due diligence/reverse due diligence considerations.

Breakout II: Shaping Strategic and Operational Direction in a Post-Pandemic Era
Erica Crain, Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
Erica Kottabi, Principal, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP
For many banks 2020 and 2021 had surprising results. Liquidity and capital were strong, loan growth saw a positive upswing and income levels were favorable. These positive trends could lead many management teams to sit back and ride this wave without regard for what lies ahead. In their Fiscal Year 2022 Bank Supervision Operating Plan, the OCC lists guarding against complacency as a top priority for examiners. As we unpack the OCC’s message, there are five areas where boards and management teams should focus their attention.

Breakout III: Cannabis Banking Lines of Business: Risks and Rewards
Keri Cain, Senior Vice President, Regent Bank
Stacy Litke, VP of Banking Programs, Green Check Verified
In this session, we explore the risk, governance and operational considerations behind running a compliant, best-in-class cannabis banking line of business. In this Q&A style session, Regent Bank’s Keri Cain shares both the pitfalls and benefits of running one of the fastest growing, multi-state cannabis banking programs in the country.

2:05 PM – 2:25 PM
Refreshment Break

2:25 PM – 3:15 PM
Breakout Sessions (select one)
Conversations continue with another round of afternoon breakout sessions – participants select one of three opportunities.

Breakout I: Internal Audit Reimagined
Joseph Garcia, Senior Manager, Crowe LLP
Organizations look to optimize value in every part of the company, and the internal audit function is no exception. This session covers how internal audit departments are transforming their approach and engaging stakeholders in ways that increase value to the company as a whole as well as to individual stakeholders. This transformation is happening while internal auditors still provide the strategic and objective feedback that audit committees expect. Attendees will be able to identify critical trends shaping the internal audit industry and discuss considerations that will drive their organization’s internal audit transformation.

Breakout II: Incorporating Risk into the Strategic Planning Process
Kamal Mustafa, Chairman, Invictus Group
Community bank risk specialists should have significant input into the strategic planning process, but they don’t; they rely instead on regulatory and compliance issues, and leave the strategic thinking to others. Invictus’ Chairman, Kamal Mustafa, explains how and why nearly every community bank needs to incorporate risk in all aspects of strategic planning, including but not limited to loan growth, targeting, intra-loan category pricing, marketing and M&A. Banks that adopt this new methodology end up with a smarter and more robust strategic planning process that shows the true impact of risk. This process is better for the bank, while elevating the role of risk officers.

Breakout III: Compensation Risk Management – What You Need to Know and Why
Greg Camarco, Associate Partner, McLagan
Todd Leone, Partner, McLagan
It has been nearly 12 years since Dodd-Frank passed, and yet the legal doctrine for risk reviews of incentive plans under Dodd-Frank has not yet been implemented. What are the expectations for both management and the compensation committee from the regulator’s perspective? This session covers today’s expectations and how they have evolved from SICP to sales practices.

3:25 PM – 3:35 PM
What Your Peers Think
Emily McCormick, Vice President of Research, Bank Director
Jackie Wall, Vice President of Bank Services, Bank Director
Bank Director’s resident experts share their key findings from our Bank Director research and insight studies.

3:35 PM – 3:50 PM
Highlights from Our 2022 Risk Survey
Emily McCormick, Vice President of Research, Bank Director
Craig Sanders, Partner, Moss Adams LLP
Hear about the most noteworthy results from Bank Director’s 2022 Risk Survey, sponsored by Moss Adams LLP.

3:50 PM – 4:40 PM
What To Do About Cybersecurity
Chuck Herrin, Chief Technology Officer, Wib
u200bu200bRon Hulshizer, Managing Director, Cyber BKD, LLP
Moderated by: Naomi Snyder, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director
In this panel session focused on cybersecurity, hear opinions and recommendations from industry experts.

4:40 PM – 5:40 PM
Networking Peer + Guest Reception

Conference Day Two | Wednesday | June 15

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast

8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Day Two Welcoming Remarks: A Conversation with Bank Director’s Editorial Team
Kiah Haslett, Managing Editor, Bank Director
Emily McCormick, Vice President of Research, Bank Director
Naomi Snyder, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director
Moderated by: Laura Schield, Chief Operating Officer, Bank Director

8:15 AM – 9:05 AM
Addressing Today’s Most Pressing Technology Challenges
Tom Grottke, Managing Director, Crowe LLP
Technology is cited as one of the most challenging issues facing banks today. This high energy session is full of valuable insights into how to manage pressing technology challenges, including managing the deterioration of your core system; vendor service licensing agreements and support levels related to technology deployment projects; cloud planning, network and data administration migration to the cloud; web-traffic data intelligence, and CRM platform planning and deployment.

9:15 AM – 10:05 AM
Breakout Sessions (select one)
Participants have the opportunity to select from one of three breakout sessions to attend. Topics include risk management, accounting insights and governance best practices.

Breakout I: Lessons Learned from Covid-19 – Stress Testing and Concentration Management
Peter Cherpack, Executive VP of Credit Technology, Ardmore Banking Advisors, Inc.
As someone once said, “don’t waste a crisis,” and coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic bank management learned some essential lessons about the importance of monitoring borrower concentrations and using technology to help pinpoint fast emerging risks. Learn how bankers today are better equipped to use their own credit data and simple proactive credit practices like concentration management and portfolio stress testing to get ahead of emerging risk in their portfolio.

Breakout II: Green is the New Gold: Why Climate Change is the Next Big Opportunity
Chris Dodge, Director of Growth & Operations, OakNorth
Hugh Shannon, Director of Growth & Operations, OakNorth
While much of the climate change narrative is understandably negative, it’s important to consider the opportunities it brings too – banks that are able to effectively identify which businesses in their commercial loan book are at most risk will be able to work with them to not only ensure they’re protected from any physical risks that may occur as a result of an extreme weather event, but also that their business model is future-proofed against any transition risks resulting from changing regulations or consumer sentiment.

Breakout III: When Adoption Outpaces Security – Addressing API Security Concerns
Chuck Herrin, Chief Technology Officer, Wib
The rise of Open Banking and increased usage of APIs and microservices has changed the attack surface of a modern bank. As a result, attackers have changed their tactics as well, with Gartner predicting that APIs will be the #1 attack vector in 2022. However, many organizations still rely on defenses put in place for legacy vulnerabilities to defend against these new logic-based attacks, with predictable results. This session provides an overview of how changes to IT architecture have changed the attack surface and provide executives with a set of non-technical questions they can use to understand whether or not their security programs are geared for the new battlefield of logic-based attacks directly against exposed APIs.

10:05 AM – 10:20 AM
Refreshment Break

10:20 AM – 11:10 AM
Breakout Sessions (select one)
Conversations continue with a second round of morning breakout sessions – participants select one of three opportunities.

Breakout I: Strategic Planning for A Growing Bank – Moving Beyond Digitization
Joanna Mullendore, Managing Director, Chief Risk Officer, Summit Technology Group
Benjamin Wallace, CEO, Summit Technology Group
When bankers get together, they usually are clear on what their organizations want to achieve, such as improving margins or achieving material organic growth. What may be less clear is how these goals can be realized. Companies have to think beyond the simple digitization of products and start to target and support the digitalization of key underlying processes as well as incorporate process optimization strategies. Organizations that embrace this shift within their operating model are more likely to realize new revenue and value-increasing opportunities.

Breakout II: Mindset Matters: Fintechs, Compliance & Financial Institution Risk Profiles
Michelle Prohaska, Chief Compliance Officer, Nymbus
Fintech and financial institution partnerships are seen as an increasing strategy for innovation, growth and market share across banks of all sizes. However, these partnerships are fraught with assumptions about compliance risk and the mindset each party brings for financial innovation. This session addresses how our perspectives might be reset, challenges how our approach to these strategic alliances can be rethought and focuses on the due diligence that can set compliance and risk officers and innovators alike up for success.

Breakout III: The Importance of Board Evaluations
Brian Charneski, Lead Independent Director, Heritage Bank
Sarah Opperman, Chair of the Board, Isabella Bank
Moderated by: Jackie Wall, Vice President of Bank Services, Bank Director
Board evaluations can play a prominent role in improving corporate governance practices, but too many bank boards don’t assess their performance regularly or leverage the results to truly enhance their oversight capabilities. In this session, gain a real-world perspective about the board evaluation process, and how the results can be used to create positive change at the board and committee levels.

11:20 AM – 12:10 PM
How Banks Are Stepping Up Their ESG Plans
Maryann Bruce, Director, Amalgamated Bank
Michael Faillo, SVP, Chief Sustainability Officer, Fifth Third Bank
Mike Ouellet, Director, Androscoggin Bank
Moderated by: Emily McCormick, Vice President of Research, Bank Director
With more focus on environmental, social and governance disclosures, how should bank boards and leadership teams respond in a way that makes sense for their institution? In this session, hear from audit and risk committee members, plus an ESG executive, on how they’re aligning ESG goals with their bank’s strategy.

12:10 PM – 12:15 PM
Closing Remarks