Community Banking

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A Business Advisor for Community Banks

Brown Edwards has the expertise to help your institution improve procedures, manage risks, avoid regulatory pitfalls, and improve earnings. In the world of community banking and digital technology, institutions have to reimagine outdated practices, evaluate competitive models and support innovation to meet heightened expectations from consumers, businesses, and investors. As your trusted business advisor, it is our job to be by your side every step of the way. We help more than 60 community banks to pursue digital innovation, and stay competitive.

Maintain Compliance

Recognize &
Manage Risk

Establish
Controls

Advise &
Consult

Why Community Banks Choose Brown Edwards

Years of Combined Experience

Institutions
Counseled

We specialize in financial institutions and have more than 100 years of experience providing counsel to more than 70 institutions. Our team includes former bank management and lenders and several of our team members hold various designations, including Certified Loan Review Professional (CLRP) and Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM) certifications.

Our team members serve as exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers at industry associations, such as the American Banking Association (ABA) and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA).

Our team stays on top of changes in the industry through participation in the following organizations:

❝Brown Edwards has made a huge difference in our business. The year we started, 157 banks were launched across the country, which was typical for that time. Today, nearly 70% of those banks are either no longer in existence or no longer independent. Brown Edwards played a key role in helping us achieve both survival and independence.❞

Clay Davis

President and Chief Strategy Officer, Select Bank

Services We Provide

Compliance (Regulatory and NACHA)

Compliance Services

Independent testing
Providing value-added suggestion to support adherence to regulations

Internal & External Audits

Internal & External Audit Services

Traditional external audit services
Outsourcing and co-sourcing to fit the institution’s needs
Providing value-added suggestions to improve efficiencies

Internal Control Consulting (FDICIA and SOX)

Internal Control Services

Assisting in the documentation of controls and development of the testing framework
Testing to assist management in its evaluation of internal controls

BSA and BSA Model Validation

BSA Services

Independent testing based on the BSA FFIEC exam manual
Evaluating BSA model performance along with data validation

Interest Rate Risk and Liquidity Audits

IRR and Liquidity Audit Services

Testing model data
Evaluating management's monitoring of interest rate risk and liquidity

CECL Model Validation and Loan Review

CECL and Loan Review Services

Testing the model's adherence to GAAP
Evaluating and testing the institution's risk rating system

Resource Center

Regulatory Relief for Community Banks Continues

Over the past week, the FDIC finalized significant updates to FDICIA Part 363, primarily affecting annual audit requirements, internal control assessments, and audit committee standards. Alongside this final rule, federal regulators have also proposed lowering the Community Bank Leverage Ratio
read more
The Evolving Landscape of Community Banking

As a CPA who has spent over three decades working with community banks, I recently had the opportunity to host an enlightening banking update webinar covering several critical issues facing our industry. What stood out most was how community banks
read more

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Organizational Change, Strategy & Finance
Risk Management
Financial Statements
Performance Improvement
Regulatory Changes
Best accounting practice for community banks