ELECTIONS Elections were held during the business meeting in Savannah. Nine nominees were elected as well as a write-in candidate. Following the election, the new Board met to appoint officers.

The 2018-19 Board Rick St. Onge (WA) president George Corda (NY) vice president Stephanie Ryals (NC) secretary Joe Rooney (MD) treasurer Ryan Seals (WY) assistant treasurer Christine Birkenmaier (PA)* Chris Pope (MA) Russell Reese (TX)* Karyn Tierney (AR) Karen Tingley (MI)*

*Learn more about these newest members. See page 4.

Texas MSB Examiner Humberto R. "Bert" Gonzalez, III has been a regulator for over 30 years and began his career with the Texas Department of Banking (TDOB) in January 1985 as an Assistant Bank Examiner in the Bank & Trust Division. He received his commission as a Bank Examiner in January 1988 and in September 1991 he transferred to the Special Audits Division to assist in the regulation of MSBs. Since this time, Bert has participated in developing and enhancing the TDOB’s MSB examination program as well as conducting MSB

examinations. Prior to 1991, the TDOB had purview of principally larger national companies that provided money transfers, money orders, and traveler’s checks services. After the passage of a statute in May 1991 (The Currency Exchange Act) to regulate Texas currency exchangers found mostly along the Texas-Mexico border, Bert joined the Special Audits Division on

Examiner Spotlight: Bert Gonzalez

a temporary assignment (partly to assist in communicating with Spanish-speaking business owners) but liked the work so much that he remained working in the MSB area and was permanently assigned to the Special Audits Division. Over time, the TDOB amended its statutes to include the regulation of other MSBs, including those offering prepaid access (stored value) services and online remittances. His introduction to the MSB industry and learning about examining MSBs came about from working for almost 13 years with Texas Senior Examiner Nanette Smith, who was a founding board member of MTRA and served as MTRA President for several terms until her retirement from the TDOB in 2004. As a full-time MSB

examiner since the early 1990’s, Bert has seen a tremendous amount of change and innovation in the services and products offered by licensees,

including the introduction of online remittances, prepaid access and advancement to the use of mobile phone applications to conduct transactions. He remembers the early days when personal computers were not around and examiners relied mostly on manual processes to conduct their work. Although records and documents can be analyzed more thoroughly and faster these days, Bert also notes that the examination scope is much broader and the number of examination procedures and areas reviewed has increased over time, partly as a

result of new laws at both the state and federal level affecting MSBs.

MTRA Newsletter Fall 2017, Volume 6

MTRA Newsletter Fall 2017 Page 2 of 4

Bert also credits attaining knowledge and experience in examining MSBs as result of the wide range of MSBs the TDOB regulates. These institutions include small family-owned businesses located in one or several states to multi-billion dollar public companies which operate throughout the world, many of which offer unique services relevant to the customer base they serve. Bert has participated in teaching and assisting examiners in learning about the MSB industry and its regulation for many years. In past years, the TDOB volunteered to help other state examiners become familiar with examining MSBs and this gave Bert, along with other TDOB MSB examiners, an opportunity to provide hands-on training to a number of states for several years during joint examinations. Beginning in 2007 Bert began participating with other state examiners under the leadership of John Bishop (past MTRA board member and President) in developing training programs offered to MTRA member states’ examiners around the country. He has been a trainer at MTRA examiner schools offered in California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, and Texas, and has also trained examiners at several Regulators Schools during MTRA conferences. He most recently participated as a trainer at the MTRA Operations School held in Austin, Texas in April 2017.

He often participates on joint examinations as Examiner-In-Charge and has collaborated on the joint examination process with a number of states and examiners during his career with the TDOB and is currently involved with an MTRA member states working group focusing on updating the MTRA joint examination entry letter, document request list, and workprogram. Bert received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Texas A & I University, Kingsville, Texas (now Texas A & M University-Kingsville) in 1983 and has been licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in Texas since 1996. In March 2010, he earned the Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) designation and has served as Treasurer of the CenTex Chapter of ACAMS. The MTRA has awarded Bert the EIC Achievement Award at its annual conference beginning in 2012 and each year through 2016. Bert is a native of the South Texas town of Zapata and has been a resident of Austin, Texas since 1985.

2017 MTRA Star Awards

Bert Gonzalez, continued The Board Thanks

Karen Heede for Her

Service

Karen Heede will continue to serve on various committees, but has finished her term.

The MTRA annual conference in Savanah, GA was attended by 337 participants. Our largest to date! Our annual “Star” awards were given to EICS who lead a substantial number of joint exams. Recipients were Barbara Bergman (VA), Jessica Chacon (WA), George Etame (NY), Branton Grimes (NC), Sheila Johnson (WV), Craig Kaiser (OH), Angel Ostorva (TX), Michael Sabula (OH), Todd Toller (KY), Justin Vick (WA).

More conference photos can be found on our Facebook page!

MTRA Newsletter Fall 2017

Page 3 of 4

Upcoming Schools

for member

regulators

Advanced School focusing on virtual currencies and blockchains March 6-8, 2018 Monday and Friday are travel days. Fort Lauderdale Marriott North Fort Lauderdale, FL Basic details are on the MTRA website. Scholarships will be available.

Intermediate Examiners School July 23-26, 2018 Sunday and Friday are travel days. Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows Lone Tree, CO (on the new light rail system) Basic details are on the MTRA website. Scholarships will be available.

News from Member States

Burgum appoints Kruse to lead North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum today appointed Lise Kruse to lead the state Department of Financial Institutions, where she has served as chief examiner of banks since January 2011. The department oversees North Dakota’s state-chartered banks and credit unions as well as other financial companies. Kruse replaces Commissioner Robert Entringer, who in May announced he will retire November 30. As chief examiner of banks, Kruse oversees the department’s 16 bank examiners and the examination process. She was originally hired by the department as a financial institutions examiner in June 2004. Prior to that, she worked as a competitor research specialist with Clarica Life Insurance Co. in Fargo for about seven years. “With her strong management and analytical skills, Lise Kruse has played an essential role in the Department of Financial Institutions providing consistent regulation and sound oversight of our state-chartered banks,” Burgum said. “Her background in information technology will serve our citizens well as financial institutions continue to evolve and adapt to the 21st century economy.” A native of Elverum, Norway and a North Dakota resident since 1997, Kruse earned a bachelor’s degree in business and organizational communication in 1996 from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., and a Masters of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in information technology in 2003 from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. She graduated from the Colorado Graduate School of Banking in Boulder in 2012 and has served as chair of the Conference State Bank Supervisors’ Risk Identification Team.

“I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to serve on Governor Burgum’s team,” Kruse said. “I’m grateful for the privilege to lead the Department of Financial Institutions and continue its important mission of ensuring the safety and soundness of institutions.”

MTRA Newsletter Fall 2017 Page 4 of 4

Get to Know our Newest Board Members! CHRIS BIRKENMAIER is a Regional Office Manager with the Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities where she was worked for almost 28 years. Her duties include reviewing Money Transmitter reports in addition to the other licensees who are under the regulatory authority within the non-depository division. She also examined national banks while with the Comptroller of the Currency for 7 years. Chris is currently a member of the MTRA Education Steering Committee. She has taught at early MTRA schools and participated on various MTRA examination committees and projects over the years. Chris is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in Finance and earned an MBA in Finance

at Temple University. RUSSELL REESE joined the Texas Department of Banking (Department) as a

Special Audits Division field examiner in 1993. He was appointed Director of the Special Audits Division of the Department in September 2000. As Director, he is responsible for overseeing the agency’s supervision of three major non-depository programs that include the licensing, regulation, and supervision of money services businesses, prepaid funeral contract sellers and perpetual care cemeteries. He has extensive experience in auditing, regulatory supervision, and financial analysis. He is frequently called upon to give presentations at various seminars, including industry associations, on Texas regulatory and licensing issues affecting these industries. Mr. Reese was part of the initial working group that assisted FinCEN with drafting the MSB BSA/AML Manual that is used today. He provides ongoing assistance and input on possible legislation changes to various state and federal agencies related to the non-depository programs. KAREN TINGLEY graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelors of Business Administration, majoring in Accounting. She is a Regional Manager with the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Karen began her career as an IT examiner. She performed IT examinations of state chartered banks and credit unions for 6 years. She then worked as a Credit Union examiner for 10 years. For the past 10 years, she has worked in the Office of Consumer Finance as the Regional Manager overseeing the examinations of various consumer finance programs including Money Transmission, Debt Management, Regulatory Loan, and Deferred Presentment. Karen is currently a member of the MTRA Education Steering Committee and a member of the working group currently updating the MTRA Workprogram.

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