Jesse Gonzalez
Bank Examiner
Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
Biography
Job Description: Lead risk-focused examinations of banks and holding companies to assess financial condition, risk management, and compliance with regulations. Evaluate key risk areas including capital, asset quality, earnings, liquidity, and governance, and communicate supervisory findings to bank leadership. Develop supervisory strategy and conduct ongoing risk monitoring.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conduct risk-focused examinations of banks and bank holding companies
- Evaluate financial condition, capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings, liquidity, and sensitivity to market risk (CAMELS)
- Assess risk management practices, internal controls, and corporate governance
- Review financial statements, regulatory filings, and internal bank reports
- Present supervisory conclusions to bank management and internal stakeholders
Frequently Used Skills:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Time Management
- Teamwork
- Project Management
How did the Enterprise Leadership major contribute to your career?
"My degree in Enterprise Leadership from the University of Iowa provided a strong foundation in business strategy, organizational management, and critical thinking—skills that are essential for evaluating the governance and risk management practices of financial institutions. The program’s emphasis on leadership, communication, and problem-solving directly supported my responsibilities as a bank examiner, particularly in engaging with bank executives and developing supervisory strategies. This background equipped me to understand both the operational and strategic dimensions of the institutions I supervise."
What advice would you give to a student interested in pursuing a job or career field like yours?
"There are multiple career paths to becoming a bank examiner, and various regulatory agencies are responsible for bank supervision. The Federal Reserve, however, uniquely commits significant resources to developing its examiners, ensuring they are thoroughly prepared to independently conduct and lead comprehensive examinations of banking organizations on behalf of the Federal Reserve System. This formal authority is granted through the Federal Reserve’s commissioning program, a rigorous process that typically requires 3 to 5 years of training, experience, and demonstrated expertise to complete successfully."
