Certified Trust Examiner (CTE)
Candidates for the CTE designation must provide evidence of all of the following:
- Must have met the requirements for the Certified Examiner-in-Charge (CEIC) or equivalent.
- Satisfactory completion of the following course offerings or their equivalent (courses submitted for equivalency will be considered on a case-by-case basis):
- CSBS Fundamentals of Fiduciary Activities or a comparable Federal Agency Trust School.
- Advanced trust training in the CSBS Advanced Trust School or a federal advanced trust school or equivalent training at the Cannon Financial Institute or other recognized professional training program.
- Must have written at least eight complex trust examinations. (Please provide details of the size and type of accounts of the trust departments or trust institutions examined, in the application information.)
- Must have a total of seven years of financial institution examination experience, which may include a combination of three or more years of trust examination experience and the balance as safety and soundness or other examination experience. Equivalent industry experience may be substituted on a case-by-case basis.
- Must have completed 80 hours of relevant advanced trust education courses over a three-year period.
- Attestation of successful job performance and mastery of appropriate job-related skills by a superior within the candidate's organization. All attestations shall be considered final once signed. A defined response form that outlines the necessary and appropriate skills will support attestation as to a candidate's skill. A high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation forms provided by the applicant's supervisor when granting certification. For that reason, the individual signing the form should be familiar with the applicant's experience, performance, and skills abilities and confident that the applicants meets all the requirements as noted on the form.
The attestation form addresses the following categories:
TECHNICAL - Provides effective leadership and organization to the examination process:
- Effectively supervises personnel to ensure adherence to examination procedures and policies
- Provides effective training
- Monitors progress of assigned personnel to ensure accurate and timely completion of work
- Effectively organizes and delegates assignments
- Supervises, organizes, and effectively documents workpapers according to prescribed procedures
- Effectively supervises and oversees the entire trust examination process
CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the overall activities of the Trust area:
- Effectively follows established examination procedures to collect and analyze data
- Develops correct conclusions from collected data
- Effectively reviews reports for accuracy, content, conclusions, and proper grammar
- Effectively evaluates and adjusts scope of trust examination as each situation requires
LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations.
HUMAN RELATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:
- Effectively and clearly communicates assignments to assisting personnel
- Effectively and clearly communicates with financial institution personnel to obtain information
- Effectively and clearly communicates examination findings to financial institution or independent trust institution and to supervisory personnel
- Effectively prepares written comments which are accurate, grammatically correct, logically arranged, and factually support any conclusions drawn
- Effectively conducts meetings with management and the boards of directors of financial institutions and of independent trust companies
- Effectively coordinates examination planning and execution with other state and federal supervisory authorities as needed
Trust Recertification
Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 40 continuing education hours (CEH); at least seven CEHs must be completed each year. Examples of qualifying programs and activities are listed below. Other programs and activities submitted will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Courses/Seminars - CSBS and Federally Sponsored
- CSBS Trust Forum
- FFIEC Emerging Issues Trust Conference
- Other programs approved on a case-by-case basis
Commercial Training Providers
- Courses and seminars such as those provided by the Cannon Financial Institute or Northwestern University Trust School or other nationally recognized training qualify for continuing education credits depending upon the nature and content of the course.
- One CEH is awarded for each hour of "in-class" training in a course or seminar. Evidence regarding applicability of course content to trust examinations and length of the seminar must be provided to obtain credit when applying for re-certification.
Other Certification Designations
Forty CEHs will be awarded for each approved trust certification received or renewed during a three year period; however, at least seven CEHs must be completed each year.
Other
Nontraditional credit for speaking, authoring, teaching, etc. count toward CEHs.
Trust Acceptance of Equivalent Certification
Individuals who have attained certification from other agencies (federal or state) and/or associations in related skills may apply for consideration of equivalent certification in the Program. An abbreviated application form is available for those applicants requesting consideration under equivalent certification criteria.