Mass Bankers Expo

The Security Risks of M&A

In the community banking world, mergers and acquisitions are quite common. The number of independent U.S. banks has decreased over the past 30 years from roughly 14,500 to about 5,600 today. Additionally, roughly 800 commercial banks were closed or acquired during the period of 2007-2013. As we continue to move forward towards a financially strong and stable economy, banks and credit unions are showing signs of increased profitability. With this, the aspiration to grow and compete is alive and well. Many community-sized institutions will experience the desire to merge, acquire, or be acquired. There are many security risks to M&A, including gaps in employee security awareness, technical configurations, and governing policies and procedures. This presentation will provide the opportunity to learn more about such risks and the manner in which your institutions can mitigate them.