On March 24, 2022, the RMA New England Chapter will present an update of the state of the banking industry focusing on New England banks along with topics covering Banking in a Post-COVID Economy. Ernie Knott, the Northeastern District Financial Analyst will present on the subject and the program will include panel discussions by Tracy Velez and Lori Bittner, both Assistant Deputy Comptrollers in the Boston Field Office. All parties will participate in a Q&A session following the presentation. This will be an informative and interactive program.
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) is the primary regulator of nationally chartered banks. The OCC ensures national banks and federal savings associations operate in a safe and sound manner, provide fair access to financial services, treat customers fairly, and comply with applicable laws and regulations. The OCC’s initiatives include identifying ways to promote and support responsible innovation, such as through the partnering of banks with financial technology and other nonbank companies. The OCC’s Northeastern District (NED) supervises federally chartered institutions in New England, the Middle Atlantic states, eastern Kentucky, the Virginias, the Carolinas, and Washington D.C.
About Our Speakers:
Ernie Knott - Northeastern District (NED) Financial Analyst
Ernie Knott is the NED Financial Analyst for Midsize and Community Bank Supervision (MCBS) at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).
In this capacity, Ernie is responsible for compiling a report of condition for the NED’s 170 plus institutions, conducting trend analysis, identifying emerging risks and flagging outlier banks with higher risk or negative trends. Ernie also prepares reports of condition on MCBS, the Federal Savings Associations, Mutual Savings Associations, Minority Depository Institutions, and makes presentations to bankers from all over the United States.
Ernie sits on the NED Risk Committee and is extensively involved in the development of OCC’s pre-commissioned work force. Ernie is also a member of the national instructor cadre and teaches FINDRS (OCC’s bank data system) and Microsoft Excel.
Ernie began his OCC career as an Assistant National Bank Examiner in 1985 and worked in both the Miami and Fort Lauderdale field offices. He became a commissioned national bank examiner in 1989 and transferred to the Northeastern District in 1990. He has served as regional bank analyst and special supervision analyst before assuming his current position. Ernie completed the cross-credentialed examination in 2014, giving him the authority to lead examinations of both national banks and federal savings associations.
Ernie received his bachelor of science degree in finance and graduated with honors from Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
Tracy Velez - Assistant Deputy Comptroller (ADC)
Tracy Velez is an ADC in the Office of the Comptroller’s (OCC) Boston Field Office responsible for supervising national banks and federal savings associations in New England. Tracy joined the OCC in 1992 in Miami, FL. During her 29 years with the agency, Tracy has spent her time supervising technology service providers and domestic and foreign owned community and midsize banks across the nation. Throughout her career, Tracy has focused on areas including credit, information technology, Bank Secrecy Act, and problem bank rehabilitation. From 2004-2013, Tracy served as the ADC Analyst in Nashville, TN, responsible for overseeing staff, bank examinations and executing bank supervisory strategies to ensure a safe and sound banking system for all. During the 2008 real estate crisis, Tracy was responsible for supervising and rehabilitating more than 10 problem banks under formal enforcement actions.
From 2013-2018, Tracy was part of the OCC’s Special Supervision Division in headquarters. As a Problem Bank Specialist, Tracy utilized her extensive problem bank experience supervising and rehabilitating the most troubled banks across the country. During this time, she was also involved in numerous fraud and failed bank investigations.
Tracy has been active in the recruitment, hiring and development of bank examiners. Prior to relocating to Boston, Tracy served as ADC in the Central District’s Schaumburg Office and Acting ADC in the Southern District’s Houston Office. Tracy earned her National Bank Examiner Commission in 1997 and her thrift cross credential certification in 2013. Tracy is a graduate of the University of South Florida.
Lori Bittner - Assistant Deputy Comptroller (ADC)
Lori Bittner is an ADC in the Office of the Comptroller’s (OCC) Boston Field Office responsible for supervising national banks and federal savings associations in New England. She has over thirty years of bank regulatory and private sector consulting experience. Prior to accepting the position in Boston in 2018, Lori worked in the OCC’s large bank division in headquarters responsible for Recovery and Resolution Planning for the nation’s largest banks. In this role she worked with foreign jurisdictions and regulators in the oversight of globally significant financial institutions. She was instrumental in the OCC’s development of the Recovery Planning regulation requiring U.S. banks to proactively prepare for potential severe financial stress to avoid resolution. She also served as an Acting Team Lead at PNC for Enterprise and Operational Risk. She rejoined the OCC in 2012 as the Special Assistant to the Senior Deputy Comptroller for Large Banks engaged in implementing agency policies and procedures. Between 1995 and 2012, she designed and led economic and financial sector reform projects in developing and transitional countries as a managing director at Deloitte, BearingPoint and KPMG consulting firms. Her international experience includes working with foreign government officials to develop country strategies and policies to promote economic and financial sector stability across banking and non-banking sectors in over 25 countries.
Zoom call information:
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://rmahq.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6l9T9r7rSFS58InV3Eh8MA
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
For more information contact:
Julie Conroy, Chapter Executive Director
Julie@rmanewengland.org