An audit committee seat can one of the biggest challenges — and one of the greatest responsibilities — for a bank director, even without a global pandemic and economic recession. The audit committee sets the tone at the top for the bank. How does its role change in a pandemic? It’s an increasingly important responsibility, says Jon Tomberlin, managing partner in Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP’s financial services practice, participating in a panel discussion focusing on audit matters at Bank Director’s BankBEYOND 2020 experience. “There’s a lot of risk and difficulty in being on the audit committee,” he says. “They are one of the most important elements of the bank.” The audit committee creates and maintains an conditions and expectations that support the integrity of the bank’s financial controls — an environment that may have altered or become strained under the pandemic’s forceful impact or the severe economic fallout. Tomberlin says he sees many roles for audit committee in this turbulent environment, overseeing and challenging the appropriateness of internal controls and management’s risk assessment. Joining Tomberlin in this conversation with Bank Director’s Editor-At-Large Jack Milligan were Michael Ososki, a partner at BKD LLP, and Mandi Simpson, a partner at Crowe LLP. You can access all of the BankBEYOND 2020 sessions by registering here.