I worked as a national banker for 13 years and always thought, "Someday, I’d like to work for the OCC."
Education: Kaplan University, BA in business management
Joined OCC: 2012
My Professional Background
I’ve worked in the banking industry for more than 20 years. I started out as a part-time bank teller and worked my way up through a management training program to become a compliance officer. I’ve worked in different areas of compliance and risk management. I was a risk officer for a bank and an anti-money laundering officer for another bank. I also worked as a deposit operations and retail-banking manager.
Why I Chose the OCC
I worked as a national banker for 13 years and always thought, “Someday, I’d like to work for the OCC.” I liked the way the OCC handled examinations from a compliance and a safety and soundness standpoint. Working with OCC examiners was great. The OCC examiners were professional, maintained an open-door policy, and were proactive in asking for information.
Agency Benefits
The OCC offers flexible work schedules and telecommuting options. Alternate schedules aren’t typically found in the banking industry and most banks don’t provide the benefit of working from home. The opportunity to achieve a work-life balance is a unique advantage of working with the agency.
On Mentorship and Experience
Industry hires bring a lot of experience to the OCC. We assist with educating the agency’s precommissioned examiners by sharing what’s going on in the industry and also help all examiners understand bank operation processes and procedures.
I’ve served as a mentor for precommissioned examiners here. Some of them are interested in compliance and want to learn more about the field. Other staff face something new during an exam and need guidance on how to proceed. I’ve always enjoyed serving as a mentor. Before coming to the OCC, I was an instructor and director for state banking schools.
Advice
Empower yourself to find out what kind of courses and opportunities are available. I also encourage industry hires to exercise their leadership skills and use their industry experience to guide other examiners and our bankers.