As a teenager standing under the bright lights of my hometown football games in Albany, Missouri, I learned the meaning and value of teamwork. That lesson stuck with me. After high school, it was reinforced during high-stress training at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Academy, where I trained to become a trooper. But in the corporate world — especially in banking — why isn’t teamwork more prevalent? I get it: Banks must compete with other financial institutions for loan and deposit customers. That’s how we keep the lights on and the doors open. But what we face daily is bigger than any one bank. It’s something that impacts the entire industry, regardless of size, assets or location. That thing I’m talking about? You guessed it — fraud. Community banks are feeling the sting of fraud most acutely because every dollar lost to fraud can have a direct impact on our bottom line. While larger banks may absorb The Power of Teamwork in Fighting Fraud Quentin McConkey Security & Loan Officer BTC Bank those losses more easily, for us, they’re not just drops in the bucket — they’re waves. To me, it doesn’t matter who your customers are or where you’re located. You could be across the street from a BTC Bank branch or in another state entirely. What matters is that your customers are being affected by fraud, and I care about that. So why can’t we work together? Earlier this year, I pitched the idea of forming a fraud committee to Matthew Ruge, executive director of MIBA. The concept was simple: Any bank could join at no cost, creating a space for us to connect and collaborate to slow the spread of fraud. Matthew saw the value immediately and gave me the green light. Fast forward a few months — I was in Des Moines speaking with Michael Gathman, CEO of Community Bankers of Iowa, and shared what we were starting in Missouri. Michael was eager to join the effort and has been instrumental in helping to expand it. I’m now seeing firsthand the power of teamwork between banks and state associations. Let me explain how the committee works. Michelle Lawson, who manages our member roster and email communications, has played a key role in organizing the Financial Fraud Advisory Committee. We meet virtually every two months for one hour. 24 | The Show-Me Banker Magazine
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