Pub. 4 2014-2015 Issue 5

16 O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S CONFERENCE REPORT AMANDA AVERCH DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS COLORADO BANKERS ASSOCIATION “It is a more favorable environment for our issues to be presented and addressed,” he said, noting that power is more balanced in the federal legislature. He advised caution, however, because challenge exists around anything lawmakers perceive as “controversial,” Experts at CBA Management Conference: Mind Your Keys and Locks W hile we’ve all been advised at some point to “watch your Ps and Qs,” experts in January advised bank- ers to watch their locks and keys. The Colorado Bankers Association on January 29 hosted its annual Management Conference, during which experts warned bankers and others to keep a close eye on access provided to third party vendors, as well as keeping an eye on what’s going on inside their organizations’ walls. Sara Nielsen, IT manager and the IT Coordinator for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City spoke to attendees on properly managing relationships with third party ven- dors. “When you engage with an individual or organization outside of your bank, a new level of risk is created. “You are literally giving a vendor a key to your front door, and you need to manage what doors (inside the bank) that key opens.” She added that banks should not just be focused on third parties providing IT or technological services, but any service to the bank, such as maintenance and janitorial work. “The banks has the greater risk in the relationship,” she said, noting that examin- ers often find banks’ oversight programs for vendors are not deep or broad enough. Margo Young Gardey, chief lending officer of Alpine Bank, Pete Waller retired chairman, president and CEO of First National Bank of the Rockies, (right) and moderator Larry W. Martin of Bank Strategies, LLC discuss expectations of the board of directors and CEO best practices, during CBA’s 2015 Management Conference.