About six weeks before each meeting, I reach out to the group to gather topics they’re interested in discussing. Based on that input, we invite a speaker to address those issues, usually for 20-30 minutes. The second half of the meeting is an open forum. Engagement has been better than I imagined; the conversations fill the entire hour, with nearly everyone participating. We all know community bankers wear many hats. Our group includes a wide range of titles, but we share a common goal: helping each other fight fraud. Another valuable resource the committee offers is real-time advice. If your bank is seeing something suspicious and you want to know if others have seen it too, you have a platform to ask. Or if you’re exploring new tools or software, you can get peer feedback before making a decision. Don’t just take my word for it — here’s what some of our members have to say: “The battle against fraud is ongoing. While the risk and market areas may be different, collaborating with our peers and industry professionals about fraud trends and mitigation techniques allows us to gain insight we can’t get by fighting these battles alone. Everyone brings a unique perspective — and sometimes that’s just the edge you need to stop the fraud.” — Peggy Lottmann, Farmers & Merchants Bank “Fraud is not static. Being part of a Fraud Committee with other bankers in my state allows us to share not only trends we’re seeing in different regions, but also resources and tips that help mitigate both customer and bank losses.” — Peggy Alexander, FCNB Bank “Fighting fraud is bigger than just one person or one financial institution. It’s amazing to see a group of community bankers come together with a common goal of fighting fraud and educating ourselves and our customers.” — Kim Kohlbusch, Citizens Bank “Being on the fraud committee has been not only informative, but helpful. It has shown that most banks combat the same fraud issues. I believe forming this committee was a positive step towards assisting banks in the fight against fraud.” — Christina Boyd, Community State Bank of Missouri If you’d like to join or learn more about the Financial Fraud Advisory Committee, please reach out to me at quentin.mcconkey@btcbank.bank. The Show-Me Banker Magazine | 25
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