Has anyone attended Kirchman's basic/intermediate or advanced compliance seminars? I am wondering how difficult the advanced one is and how much experience a person would need for the advanced course.I want to be challenged but not overwhelmed!! Any comments would be welcome.

Debbie, Don't know how long you have been in Compliance Land but the advance is not too advance for someone that has the basics of the regs.

Janet,

How would you rate the seminar? Did you get a lot out of it?

I am considering attending in December in Texas but I don't know anyone that has been to their training.

Debbie, this is the first time, that I know of, that Kirchman has been in Texas. I also hope to go to the advanced seminar, so would also like to hear from anyone who has attended one their seminars. I wrote them a long time ago asking that they come to Texas so I have been hoping that they would someday consider it. Their orange book has been a valuable source to me for years, as is their website.

Since our bank was a Kirchman user, when I began in Compliance, I attended the trainings that were offered by that company.

For beginners, those seminars they were ok. Blair Rue was the instructor at that time and gave a good deal of information. By the time we left Denver, I had a basic knowledge of the responsibilities of a compliance officer, a basic understand of the regs, and a list of people in the same boat that I was in (beginners). I also received a copy of the Big Orange Book (BOB). That has been a great resourse for me. It breaks everthing down into simple language. I have attended several of the Kirchman conferences which allowed me to mingle with other compliance professionals. Much of what I learned in compliance came from people in the compliance field.

We are no long with Kirchman, but I still refer to BOB for quick access to information needed.

It is strictly my opinion, but the best way for me to learn is to attend as many seminars in as many areas of compliance as possible, regardless of which organization is sponsoring it. Each time that I go, I find out something that (maybe I should have but) I didn't know. I am in Louisiana and I have developed a "favorites list" of conferences, but to say one is better or more advanced than the other is hard. I think that depends on the level of YOUR experience in the various areas of banking. For example, I feel more confident in the deposit side than I do in the loan side. So I find that I have to attend more loan workshops than deposit workshops. It also depends, I think, on the way that you like to receive information. For example, one of the seminars that I do attend, is taught by lawyers. To me that is not as effective as those taught by consultants from organi-zations specializing in compliance. These lawyers are, however, trained on Louisiana law which is "quirky" compared to other states. Therefore, I only attend those when I know changes have occurred and I need to know how lenders in Louisiana will be effected.

I have been in compliance about 6 years and I am still a "rookie". Sometime, I think that I will never get out of the "rookie" category. There is just so much out there to learn. Everything changes so much.......

Good luck on your quest.

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The views expressed, herein, are not necessarily those of my employer

[This message has been edited by Kathy Lafleur (edited 11-09-2001).]

Debbie,

I would look into your state Banking Association. They bring in state law that could add additional requirements that other seminars do not offer. I live in California so I use California Bankers Association or Bankers Compliance Group.

Per Tina's advice, the Texas Bankers Association has an annual week long compliance school in Austin every April. Alumni attend a two-day "update" program where they receive a new copy of the manual from the week long school, but their training sessions focus on recent developments and common problems. It is the most effective "package" of compliance training I have seen.
You can reach the TBA @ 512.472.8388.