2012 Rising Stars in Banking: Sherri Van Beek

An auditor might not be the first person to come to mind when thinking of someone who fosters a culture of collaboration. Discarding the stereotypical "gotcha" approach, Sherri Van Beek has found another way. "People say auditors aren't on this earth to make friends. I believe you need to make friends," she said..Van Beek grew up in Sioux Center, Iowa. Her dad had an electrical company and when she was in high school she worked for him keeping the books. "I liked doing the financial work for him," she said. "He has always said I am one of 'those' people." Her dad helped her get a job reviewing customer statements at American State Bank, a family-owned bank in town. "My job was to make sure they looked pretty," she said..Van Beek worked at American State Bank while she was in college, including an internship in the lending department. "Looking at financials really interested me," she said. "I thought someday I wanted to be a loan officer but life took me elsewhere.".After college she moved to Sioux Falls, S.D., working in collections and then as a quality assurance specialist for Bank First. This position provided her key experience in an auditing role where she reviewed company procedures and departments..In 2000, Van Beek began her career as an internal auditor for Security Bank, also located in Sioux Falls. She created work programs for all audited areas and provided follow-up training and direction when problems were identified. Her responsibilities required her to be the person who makes sure her co-workers comply with regulatory and company standards. "People tend to have a negative impression of my kind of person," she said..But Van Beek learned the connection between the different areas of the bank. Gina Fisher, the manager who hired her, was a key mentor and made a big difference in her view of her audit position. "She taught me about compliance and how the bank worked," Van Beek said. "She had the patience to walk me through the bank as a whole and show me how the different areas can affect each other.".When she learned about the connection between the different areas of the bank she saw the value of a consulting approach. She sat in on both the entrance and exit audit meetings to learn the concerns of the department managers. This taught her that though a manager might have a great idea for how to make their department better, often they won't know how to develop that idea. "Sometimes you can be that person who helps them move forward," she said. "You can have that consulting touch that helps people make their processes better, and then you get to watch as the process plays out successfully.".It also helps to have that human touch. Van Beek knows that people make mistakes and has the good humor to laugh at her own. When she was at Security Bank, one of the bank's branches had a cash trap. She happened to be at that branch for an audit and was about to do the cash count part of the audit. Thinking the trap wasn't engaged, she reached in and pulled out the cash. Then she heard the alarm trigger. She turned to the teller who confirmed that the police would soon be pulling up. "My next thought was 'where is the desk I can hide under,'" she said. "It is always fun to catch the auditor doing something wrong.".In March of 2007, Van Beek moved to her current position as the chief audit officer for CorTrust Bank in Sioux Falls. She brought her consulting touch. When she started, the bank's audit process did not have that consulting feel. For instance, the audit reports only contained recommendations for improvement without comment on good performance. Van Beek developed a report that included positive remarks that offered co-workers encouragement and constructive criticism hand-in-hand..As a manager, Van Beek invests in her employees just like her mentors invested in her. "I learned about management from my mentors," she said. "I learned to respect peoples' talents; people take more ownership in the bank if someone isn't always giving them the answer." This approach has worked for members of her team.."I was new to the audit team a little over a year ago and she has been an outstanding mentor to me as I learn the audit role," said Rachel Bigge, assistant internal auditor at CorTrust Bank. "No matter how busy she is with her own task, she always has time to answer questions and assist with anything I need." The audit department ensures the bank stays current with the compliance changes in the industry. "It's been quite a task," Bigge said. "She does a fantastic job making sure the department stays on task."Other 2012 Rising Stars in Banking include: Henry Schutz, Lake Country Community Bank, Morristown, Minn.Todd Heilman, Western State Bank, Devils Lake, N.D.Tod Eastman, HomeStar Bank and Financial Services, Manteno, Ill.Adam Dittrich, Americanna Community Bank, Sleepy Eye, Minn.Blair Folkens, L.A. Amundson Investments, Sioux Falls, S.D.Greg Turner, MidWestOne Bank, Iowa City, IowaEric Kjos, Regional Missouri Bank, Marceline, Mo