In this episode of the Risk Intel Podcast, host and SRA Watchtower CEO Edward Vincent invited CFO/CRO Shawn Ryan to the show to discuss the top emerging risks facing financial institutions today. Their discussion, enriched by insights from the NC State University ERM Initiative "13th Annual Executive Perspectives on Top Risks Survey," sheds light on critical areas that demand attention from risk leaders. Listen to the full episode below to learn about these emerging risks, incorporating key findings from the survey.

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The relationship among banks, FinTechs, and regulators has never been more critical - or more complex for that matter. With technology advancing at breakneck speed, the challenge lies in striking a healthy balance between fostering innovation, while not compromising the safety and soundness of the financial services industry. In this episode of the Risk Intel podcast, host Ed Vincent sat down with industry experts Kirsten Muetzel and Jeanette Quick to unpack the intricate dynamics among banks, FinTechs, and regulators, the role of emerging technologies, and how collaboration can drive better outcomes for all players in the industry. 

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As the year 2025 unfolds, the financial services industry is experiencing shifts that few could have fully anticipated at the beginning of the year. From regulatory changes to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), and global economic instability, financial institutions face a dynamic environment filled with both opportunities and risks. Kirsten Muetzel, Founder of KLM Advisory LLC, joins host Ed Vincent to discuss a quick pulse check on how Q1 unfolded and her predictions for the remainder of the year. 

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Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) has long been viewed as a defensive function—something financial institutions do to satisfy regulators and avoid compliance issues. However, this perspective is outdated. In today’s volatile business environment, ERM is a strategic necessity that enables organizations to anticipate challenges, seize opportunities, and make more informed decisions. In this episode of The Risk Intel podcast, Shawn Ryan joins host, Edward Vincent to explore why ERM should be a CEO priority. They discuss the pitfalls of siloed risk management, the need for an enterprise-wide approach, and how organizations can elevate risk management to a strategic function. Most importantly, we examine why the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) should have a strong presence at the leadership table and work closely with their CEO to ensure risk isn’t an afterthought, but the key driver of decision-making.

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Data is not just a byproduct of operations—it is the foundation for strategic decision-making and risk management. Vantage Bank, a leading community bank out of San Antonio, Texas committed to innovation and operational excellence, has embraced this reality by modernizing its risk management program through data and technology.  In this episode of The Risk Intel Podcast, Ed Vincent, CEO of SRA Watchtower and host of the show, sat down with Joel Castaneda, EVP & CRO, and Shawn Main, EVP & Chief Business Architect at Vantage Bank, to discuss their transformation journey and a need for a modernized risk program. 

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Implementing a Risk and Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) tool is a crucial step for financial institutions seeking to enhance their risk management frameworks. Starting with a well-executed RCSA process enables organizations to identify, assess, and mitigate risks effectively while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. However, successful implementation requires careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and the right technology to streamline workflows and improve organizational visibility.  Beth Nilles, Director of Watchtower Implementations and resident RCSA expert, joined host Edward Vincent on this episode of the Risk Intel podcast to discuss best practices for implementing an RCSA process or tool. 

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The latest episode of the Risk Intel Podcast featured Jeff Fink, Co-Founder of Lumio Insight, joining host Ed Vincent to discuss an exciting milestone — SRA Watchtower’s acquisition of Lumio Insight. This strategic move combines two companies with a shared vision: empowering community-based financial institutions with a holistic risk and business intelligence platform. Listen to the full interview to learn more about this exciting acquisition.

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In this episode of the Risk Intel Podcast, Beth Nilles joins host, Ed Vincent to discuss how to drive a calculation methodology within a bank's or credit union's Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSA) process. Listen to the full episode to learn tips and guidance on executing this within your institution.

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In this episode of the Risk Intel Podcast, SRA Watchtower’s own Cathy Jackson, Director of Implementations and a seasoned risk management expert joined host, Ed Vincent, to explore the evolving nature of Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and how financial institutions can ensure their KRIs remain effective and actionable. Listen to the full episode to learn more.

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In this episode of the Risk Intel Podcast, Ed Vincent, host of the show and CEO of SRA Watchtower, welcomed Jeff Fink from Lumio Insight, back to the show to explore the critical topic of risk mitigation in financial institutions. This third part of their conversation delved into the strategies, technologies, and frameworks that help organizations navigate today’s complex risk landscape. From securing sensitive data to addressing emerging threats, Jeff shared actionable insights on how banks and credit unions can proactively mitigate risks while driving innovation and maintaining regulatory compliance. Listen to the full episode below. 

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In this episode of the Risk Intel podcast, Joseph Berry, Co-head of Investment Banking at KBW, joined host Ed Vincent to share his insights into the evolving landscape of banking and FinTech and what will drive innovation in 2025. Joe discussed critical topics ranging from data analytics and customer profitability to the role of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in driving innovation. Listen to the full episode to learn more. 

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The Season 3 premiere of the Risk Intel Podcast brings a timely and thought-provoking discussion about the rapidly evolving M&A landscape in the banking sector and predictions for 2025. Host Ed Vincent welcomed Joseph Fenech, founder and Chief Information Officer of GenOpp Capital Management, to unpack the trends and strategies shaping this pivotal moment in banking consolidation. The episode highlighted the forces driving a surge in M&A activity, the differing dynamics for community and regional banks, and key strategies for a successful transaction. 

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SRA Watchtower's Risk Intel Podcast has become a leading resource for financial institutions and risk professionals seeking actionable insights into enterprise risk management (ERM). Hosted by Ed Vincent, CEO of SRA Watchtower, the podcast covers critical topics such as integrated risk management, data governance, and the role of technology in transforming risk practices. Whether you're a seasoned CRO or just stepping into the risk management field, these episodes provide valuable expertise from industry leaders. To wrap up season 2, we issued a poll to our audience and internal team members to find out what everyone's top 10 episodes were from 2024. Ed hosted SRA Watchtowers, VP of Marketing and producer of the Risk Intel Podcast, Ryan Donelson, and Niki White, Chief Growth Officer to walk us through the top 10 list and share their key takeaways. 

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Season 2 | Ep. 51: Using Data as a Strategic Asset (Part 2) Governance Frameworks

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In season two's 50th episode of The Risk Intel Podcast, host Ed Vincent, sat down with Jeff Fink, CEO and Co-founder of Lumio Insight, to share his view on the evolving role of data in financial institutions. Drawing on his extensive experience in data management, Jeff outlined how organizations can transform data into a strategic asset, unlocking its full potential to improve customer experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and manage risk effectively. Listen to the full episode to learn more!

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In this Risk Intel Podcast, Ed Vincent sat down with Ian Moloney, SVP of Policy and Regulatory Affairs, and Hayden Cole, Director of Federal Government Affairs from the American FinTech Council (AFC), to analyze what the 2024 election results mean for financial services regulation, enforcement, and bank-FinTech partnerships. They explored expected regulatory shifts, changes in congressional leadership, and proactive strategies for financial institutions navigating these transitions. Every risk manager and financial institution leader should listen. 

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In the latest episode of the Risk Intel Podcast, Phil Goldfeder, CEO of the American Fintech Council (AFC) joined host Ed Vincent to delve into the evolving relationship between banks and fintech firms. Ed and Phil connect on the latest comment letter the AFC submitted in response to the joint Request for Information on Bank-Fintech Arrangements Involving Banking Products and Services Distributed to Consumers and Businesses (RFI) by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve (FRB or Federal Reserve), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) collectively referred to as the “Joint Agencies”.

Listen to the full episode, as Phil and Ed discuss the best practices and key takeaways from this RFI by the Joint Agencies. 

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Happy Halloween! This special episode of the Risk Intel podcast features scary stories of risk management. Coming from real-life experiences from our team member’s days in banking. Host, Ed Vincent, is joined by Shawn Ryan, Beth Nilles, Niki White, Megan Turcios, Trent Terry, and Cathy Jackson for a series of short spooky stories. Curl up with a nice cider and get ready to hear the dark side of risk management, along with some tips to ensure you don’t end up a scary story yourself!

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Effective risk management reporting is essential for decision-making, regulatory compliance, and overall institutional success. Whether you're considering licensing a third-party risk Intelligence solution or building your own reporting framework, understanding key principles and data perspectives will guide you toward a robust, scalable system. Sam Utz, SRA Watchtower Product Analyst joined host Ed Vincent on this episode of the Risk Intel podcast to explore foundational aspects of reporting such as data governance, creating an infrastructure, configurability vs customization, and breaking down the differences between shallow and deep views of data that financial institutions should prioritize. Tune in to listen to the full episode on building a strong foundation for risk reporting. 

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In this episode of Risk Intel, host Ed Vincent, CEO of SRA Watchtower, is joined by Shawn Ryan, CFO of SRA Watchtower, and Niki White, CGO of SRA Watchtower to discuss the importance of natural disaster preparedness within financial institutions. As climate risks grow and on the heels of two back-to-back hurricanes, financial entities must be proactive to help strengthen their risk management frameworks to protect key assets and ensure operational resilience. 

Many people have been significantly impacted by the recent hurricanes Helene and Milton. Please find the below link to donate to the American Red Cross to support those impacted. https://www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html/

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In this episode of the Risk Intel podcast, the host of the show and SRA Watchtower’s CEO, Edward Vincent, welcomed Amitabh Bhargava, Senior Managing Director of Credit Portfolio Management for SRA Consulting back to the show to continue the conversation from last week on the recent U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2024 Farm Sector survey released in September 2024. The two discussed the implications for risk management in the agricultural sector, diving deeper into credit risk, how climate change can impact farm and aglending, and also discussed non-credit risks.

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The U.S. agricultural sector is facing a challenging transition. Following a period of record profitability in 2021 and 2022, the latest USDA 2024 Farm Sector Income Forecast released in September of 2024, projects a continuing decline in farm income. According to Amitabh Bhargava, a seasoned expert in credit risk and portfolio risk management, farm incomes dropped nearly 29% in 2023 and are expected to fall another 9-10% in 2024. This decline represents a slowing of the income reduction but signals continued financial stress for farmers across the nation. Listen to the conversation where host Ed Vincent asks Amitabh to dive into the trends from the recent survey data.

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