After 16 years in Operations, I have been asked to take on the job of CRA Officer. Being completely out of my comfort zone, I am looking for seminars, conferences, etc. to help in my efforts to grasp CRA without feeling completely overwhelmed.

Any help here would be greatly appreciated!

For starters, go to the Dallas Fed's Community Affairs Office website. You will find a wealth of info there, especially the short publication entitled "A Banker's Quick Reference Guide to CRA".

West Texas,

Welcome to our world. Feeling completely overwhelmed is part of the job description.

The Dallas Fed is a good source. Also check out the FFIEC website which has a bunch of stuff to read through. You want to get copies of CRA Getting it right and HMDA getting it right. Review your regulators website.

You will want to review your last performance evaluation and that of a few of the banks in your area that are regulated by your examiner. This will help you understand what they are looking at when they are in. As for training check out the ABA website or your local state banking association for upcoming seminars. For CRA, their is slim pickings.

And lastly this CRA thread is a great tool. Post your questions no matter how easy you think they are. The people that post here have been in your shoes.

Run like he!! JK, well kinda. You should look into the PCI Colloquium. It is very educational. The web site is http://www.cracolloquium.com/

Another thing you can do, that is free, is to look at your last CRA exam. You may be coasting or you may be peddling up hill. We don't know but that may or may not provide a sense of urgency. Then look at the PEs for your peer banks. And then consider calling your examiner and asking for a chat session because you are taking this over. They will often provide you tips, general info and even other contacts you can make.

But rest assured, you started well here because these are some of the most knowledgeable people on CRA you'll find. If you have a weakness or want reassurance on something, you'll find help here.

We offer CRA Webinars for banks. The webinars are convenient because you can participate in them right from your office. They are much less expensive and less time-consuming (time is something that CRA officers don't have enough of) than traveling to a conference or colloquium. Furthermore, they give you a chance for one on one discussion and questions with a CRA professional. Our webinars will give you a good understanding of CRA and how your bank's performance is measured. You can pm me if you would like to find out more.

You started out right by posting in this forum. It is a great place to get questions answered. One of the best things to do is to read the exams of peer banks in your region and outside of your region. You see how things are done and get ideas for things to do. Everyone here is happy to help.

Where can I find the list of CRA exams of peer banks? I found the ratings on the FFIEC, but where are the exams themselves?

the regulatory angencies publish the public section of the Performance Evaluation on their websites. The documents are in pdf format and can be downloaded for review.

are you FDIC regulated?

Did the previous CRA Officer check into rehab? The suggestions about looking at your previous exams and getting the pamphlet are excellent ways to start. The regulators post exam results and exam schedules. Find a bank that recently had an exam that is a similar profile to your bank and call the CRA Officer up. In Houston we have a CRA Officer's group made up of large and small banks plus civic organizations and regualtors that meets periodically to share information. CRA Officers don't generally have any competition issues and are very helpful. Good luck, you can do it.

I too am a newbie to the CRA Officer position. Our bank is regulated by FDIC. Where can I go to see other bank's CRA exams?

The FDIC's website http://www2.fdic.gov/crapes/

I'd also sign up for their email updates that will tell you the examination schedules and "grades"

Here you go 101, this should take you to all of the ratings for every bank no matter who it is regulated by. If you go to the bottom of the page there are links directly to each agency's website and from there you can get a copy of the PE.

http://www.ffiec.gov/craratings/default.aspx

Now, does anyone out there know of an FI that's looking for a CRA Officer? Our bank has been sold and my job is going away Please PM me if you have any info!!

Thanks

What part of the country?

Preferably anywhere in the western half.

I'll have to move from here, there aren't enough banks.

Oh bummer, thats what happens in small towns, try a head hunter specializing in banking, like Adams, Inc. Just google "financial recruiting"

The search is on.

Thanks Pale!