ABA Bank Compliance - July/August, 2009

HIGHLIGHTS
Keith Monson Named
2009 Distinguished Service Award Winner
Kei TH e. Monson, crcM, senior vice president of audit and industry and regulatory compliance
compliance at Jefferson city, Mo.-based Premier Bank, was named ^management ^profession.”
The 2004 Distinguished Service
the 2009 distinguished service award winner at the 2009 aBa _{Award winner, Chuck} _Lewis, _directorregulatory compliance conference in orlando, Fla.

of risk management services at RSM McGladrey in Kansas City, Mo., said:

“Sometimes being a part of the compliance world can cause a person to lose much of the balance in his/her life. Between the research, the meetings, the daily ‘stuff’ and the constant pressure to be a viable resource to bank management, the compliance professional’s family can take a hit. I was always impressed with Keith’s involvement with his family. Whether as a whatever-type-of-ball coach or as a parent participant in school activities, Keith was always a part of his boys’ life. That type of commitment to family, I feel further exemplifies Keith’s attitude towards his work.”

Monson, in his acceptance speech,
thanked Lewis for keeping compliance
Keith E. Monson, CRCM
fun. He also thanked his mentor Nancy
Derr-Castiglione (2001 DSA winner),
Karen Davy-Wright (2005), Anna Rent-
schler (2008), and a host of other com-
pliance professionals and ABA staffers.

On his first day in bank compliance, he was sent to compliance school. The instructor asked the class how many had been in compliance for more than 10 years, then five years, etc. When Monson didn’t raise his hand, the instructor asked him how long he’d been in compliance, to which Monson replied, “It’s my first day.” The Instructor then said, “Let me guess … the president of your bank came in and said congratulations, you are the new compliance officer, go forth and conquer.” Monson answered that he had applied for the job, to which the instructor asked him if he was nuts.

The honor goes annually to a compliance professional in recognition and appreciation of his or her “outstanding leadership, initiative and accomplishment in service to the regulatory compliance management profession.” The selection came from the ABA Compliance Administrative Committee (CAC), a committee of 13 leading bank compliance professionals, which reviewed each nominee’s “commitment to, and the positive impact the professional has had on, the whole banking industry relating to compliance matters.”

“Keith’s dedication and recognized expertise have been assets to the whole banking industry,” said Marilu Jime-nez, chair of the CAC and senior vice president at Banco Popular de Puerto Rico in San Juan. “Keith truly hungers to share his compliance experiences with others and the amount of energy he puts into participating in the various fields of compliance, from the community and state level to the national level, is simply astounding.”

Christopher T. Spellman, CRCM, senior vice president and compliance officer at Merriam, Kan.-based Morrill & Janes Bank, said, “Keith has been a long-time contributor to both the American Bankers Association and the Missouri Bankers Association. He has served on multiple national and state committees and his longevity and service to the banking industry is an example to all of us.”

In nominating Monson, Carl G. Pry, CRCM, vice president and compliance officer at KeyBank in Cleveland, Ohio, said, “I’ve known Keith for over 12 years through various speaking engagements, including the ABA National Compliance School and CFT Central States Compliance School, and the ABA Bank Compliance magazine. I’ve seen his growth as an outstanding compliance professional. He’s always more than willing to provide his time and expertise on any compliance topic, and is truly interested in seeing the organizations with which he’s involved grow … .”