Welcome to BankersOnline, Rachel!
As far as tips, this is a great place to start. The forums are a great resource for both new questions and researching older threads.
Here are some things I would do if I was in your shoes:
1) Review prior exam reports to see what issues the regulators have identified previously and then look into how those issues were resolved - and if they weren't resolved yet, start here.
2) Review prior audit reports for compliance.
3) Familiarize your self with your regulator's compliance exam manual. The Fed, FDIC, and OCC all have different resources, but they all base their examinations off their own info, so that is often a good place to start.
4) Figure out when to expect your next compliance exam with your primary regulator. If your bank is state chartered, you may have a separate compliance exam, depending on the state.
5) Review your bank's compliance policies and risk assessments to get an idea of the institutions risk profile and risk appetite.
Beyond that, let us know how we can help, and best of luck getting your feet on the ground.
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Adam Witmer, CRCM
All statements are my opinion, not those of my employer, and should not be taken as legal advice.
www.compliancecohort.com