Highlights

For the past seven years, Bank Director has hosted its Bank Audit Committee Conference for officers and directors of financial institutions.  Over this time, the audit committee became the most important board committee at most banks.  Indeed, just about everything of significance that happens within an institution ends up passing through the audit committee in some form or fashion.  Now, as a growing number of bank boards establish separate risk committees and implement new governance structures, we have expanded the focus and format of this program.  We do so to better focus on issues specific to a Chairman of the Board, Audit Committee OR Risk Committee Chairs and Members, Internal Auditor, CFO and CRO.

Throughout 2014’s Bank Audit & Risk Committees Conference, we focused on important accounting, risk and regulatory issues facing bank boards.  We continued to place an emphasis on attendees hearing from leading experts, seasoned professionals and experienced bank officers and directors as they shared past experiences, best practices and valuable firsthand information specifically related to banks.

Pre-Conference Opportunities:
Bank Audit & Risk Committees Peer Exchange
Exclusive to Bank Audit Committee Chairs and Bank Risk Committee Chairs, Bank Director hosted these popular peer exchanges the day before the annual conference began.  Modeled upon our annual Bank Chairman/CEO Peer Exchange, small groups of bankers – along with one or two outside advisors – met in closed door, off-the-record peer groups for candid discussions about various hot topics.  Peer groups were divided based on the committee they serve, (risk vs. audit), asset size and type of institution, (public vs. private).

Bank Audit Committee Primer
Open to newer audit committee members or those who needed a refresher course, Patricia Langiotti, Chair of the Director’s Enterprise Risk Committee and former Audit Committee Chair for National Penn Bancshares, Inc. and Lawrence W. Schwartz, Audit Committee Member for Annapolis Bancorp Inc. and Audit Committee Chair for First Virginia Community Bank, led the Bank Audit Committee Primer prior the the main conference.