Independent Banker - May 2020 - 35

that customers should watch for and
teaching them what to do if they suspect
their personal information has
been compromised or they've fallen
victim to a scam.
It also helps to make the training
fun, Pirnie says. One bank she partners
with invites its business customers to
come to the training in golf clothes.
After the event, attendees go out and
play a round of golf together.
Farmers Bank takes a different
approach, one uniquely suited for its
audience. For the community bank's
latest training event, Sundall ordered
branded whistles for attendees, most
of whom were 65 or older. Pirnie suggested
that attendees blow the whistle
into the phone the next time a perpetrator
called. That simple act gave
them a sense of control.
A cybersecurity education program
may require an investment of both
staff time and money. Is it worth it?
If your community bank is looking
for direct financial gain, probably not.
But a program can reduce risk for your
customers and your bank. It can also
earn you new customers, differentiate
your bank from the competition and
increase brand recognition and credibility
in your community.
Before starting such a program,
" Cybersecurity
education should
be an ongoing
process. "
-John Moeller,
CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
make sure you have sufficient
resources in place. It helps to identify
an employee who is passionate
about advocating for customers and
can take the lead. Give them time to
do research, gather information from
sources like the FTC or state attorney
general's office, and find a credible
speaker or presenter.
Sundall says the most important
thing is to act. " This is a multibillion-dollar
business for scammers, and
it isn't going away, " she says. " Make a
plan, and it's OK to start small. Keep in
mind that the person running the program
doesn't need to know everything.
But they do need to know where to go
for resources. "
Mary Yerkes is a writer in
North Carolina.
MAY 5 | 3 ET / 2 CT
A Holistic
Approach to CECL:
Looking Past
Implementation
Featuring:
Robby Holditch
Director, Regulatory
and Accounting
Solutions
Featuring:
Alex Cannon
CPA | Associate
Director, Senior
Consultant
How to get the word out about your cybersecurity
education program
In addition to publicizing your bank's cybersecurity education program
through social media, emails and your website, consider sharing
information with local media and law enforcement. Debbie L. Sundall,
senior vice president at Farmers Trust & Savings Bank in Spencer,
Iowa, runs her bank's program. In her experience, law enforcement
has been excellent about notifying the public of events
like this, especially when they see a concentrated
area targeted with particular scams. Sundall has also
done radio and newspaper interviews, which reach
noncustomers and help to raise awareness about
Farmers Bank's services.
Debbie L. Sundall
Join this panel discussion to
understand key challenges
during CECL implementation,
tools and takeaways from the
process, and how to assess
strategies going forward.
Don't wait until it's too late to
start thinking about integrating
CECL into your business.
REGISTER TODAY!
To register and view our full
library of free on-demand
webinars, visit the Independent
Banker Webinar Center at
Independentbanker.org
http://www.Independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - May 2020

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