Posted On: December 13, 2023 by Austin Bank in: Employee Star of the Month
When you think of working for a bank, you can easily list the tellers, lenders or office managers you may see on a daily basis. However, there is a large team working diligently behind the scenes to ensure these front line employees have what they need to conduct business in an efficient, safe, and compliant manner. Our December Star is one such employee, working in the bank’s Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) department. We are honored to introduce Heather Stephens, Operations Officer and Senior BSA Analyst, from our Frankston office.
The BSA department coordinates and maintains compliance with regulatory requirements to detect and prevent money laundering and other financial crimes. They spend their time examining data and ensuring different rules and procedures are successfully implemented, maintaining a detailed paper and audit trail that can be used in criminal, tax, or regulatory investigations and proceedings.
Heather joined Austin Bank in 2014 as a teller operations supervisor at the Noonday office from Capital One where she worked as a lead teller. She moved to the BSA department in 2015 assuming her current role as a BSA analyst, and was promoted to Operations Officer in March 2021. In the ever-changing compliance environment, Heather’s hunger to learn is an asset as there is always something new to know. Heather has a positive attitude and willingness to help coupled with a patient spirit and kind demeanor, which enable her to effectively train others as she shares the knowledge she has gained.
Heather and her husband, Donald, live in Frankston with their daughters – Hannah and Olivia. A graduate of Elkhart High School, she has served as a mentor in the bank’s mentorship program and is currently a member of the Culture Committee. With a fondness for traveling, Heather loves the beach the most and has a desire to retire to a beachfront home.
“Heather is a wonderful asset to Austin Bank and the BSA department. She is more than willing to step up and take on any job or project that is asked of her.”
Laurie Adams, Vice President/BSA and OFAC Officer, Frankston
“Heather has matured in her current role in BSA and is more involved in her support of the bank’s BSA Officer. She demonstrates confidence and has the ability to support her positions in a concise and thoughtful manner.”
Billy Mullins, Senior Executive Vice President/Chief Risk Officer, Longview Greggton
“Heather is an amazing person to work with, ready and willing to help anyone who needs it. She always handles herself professionally and I am so thankful to have her as my coworker.”
Janeth Tajia, BSA/Fraud Analyst, Frankston
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