Speaker Profiles

Robert Genetski, Ph.D.
Tuesday, October 23, 9:15–10:15 a.m.
A National Perspective

Robert Genetski’s contributions in the world of economics and finance range from serving as Chief Economist for a major midwest bank to teaching at New York University and the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business. He speaks on Economics and Finance, and is renowned for the simplicity with which he explains critical elements and classical principles of economics. Genetski worked in the banking industry and subsequently founded his own economic and financial consulting service. He has served on the board of directors for several public companies and provides insights on his website www.classicalprinciples.com.

Genetski has authored several books, most notably A Nation of Millionaires, Taking the Voodoo Out of Economics, and Winning with Money. He also writes regularly for Japan’s leading business newspaper, Nikkei Financial Daily. He has a Ph.D. in economics from New York University.

Steve Rick
Tuesday, October 23, 10:30–11:30 a.m.
A Credit Union Perspective

Steven Rick is the senior economist for CUNA & Affiliate’s Economics & Statistics Department. With CUNA since 1992, he conducts economic research, teaches macroeconomics, microeconomics, and the government’s role in the economy. He also teaches and lectures at credit union schools and conferences across the country and internationally. Rick writes articles for CUNA publications, and has authored a textbook on asset-liability management for credit union executives. He facilitates strategic planning sessions for credit union boards of directors and is a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, where he also teaches various courses. He has a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Finance from Moorhead State University; an M.S. in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, and is also a Ph.D. candidate for a doctoral degree in Economics at the University of Wisconsin.

David Reed
Tuesday, October 23, 1:15–2:15 p.m.
A View of Enterprise Risk Management

Attorney, author, consultant and nationally recognized speaker, David Reed is a partner in the law firm of Reed and Jolly, PLLC. He is the founder of CU Doctor, a full service credit union consulting practice. His engaging speaking style has garnered him status as a regular lecturer nationwide on topics such as regulatory compliance, consumer lending, bankruptcy and collections. A former trial attorney and vice president and general counsel of a large credit union, Reed is particularly noted as an expert in the areas of credit union operations, bankruptcy and collections. Reed received his undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1986 and his Juris Doctorate from George Mason University School of Law in 1989. He is a Certified Compliance Officer.

Stephen Happel
Tuesday, October 23, 2:30–3:30 p.m.
A Romney Economy

Stephen Happel has been a Professor of Economics at the Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business since 1975. His research is focused on applied microeconomics and population issues. He has written two textbooks and over 100 articles for professional journals and publications, such as the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

Happel teaches undergraduate classes in macroeconomics and MBA classes in managerial economics, and is a long-time instructor at the Pacific Coast Banking School in Seattle and the Arizona Tax Institute. Happel speaks throughout the U.S. on the domestic economy and international trends. He has a Ph.D. in economics from Duke University.

David Henderson
Tuesday, October 23, 3:45–4:45 p.m.
An Obama Economy

David R. Henderson is a research fellow with the Hoover Institution and an associate professor of economics at the Graduate School of Business and Public Policy, Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He is a speaker and writer, with a focus on public policy and making economic issues and analyses clear and interesting to general audiences.

Henderson is a frequent writer for the Wall Street Journal and Fortune, and has written for the New York Times, Barron’s, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune, including many scholarly articles. He speaks before a wide variety of general audiences and at universities around the country and has appeared on C-SPAN, CNN, and the Newshour with Jim Lehrer. Henderson has a Ph.D. in economics from University of California at Los Angeles.

Ed Seifried
Wednesday, October 24, 8:45–9:45 a.m.
A Strategic Perspective

Edmond J. Seifried is the Executive Consultant and Chief Economist of the Sheshunoff Affiliation Programs and Professor Emeritus of Economics and Business at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He is a frequent guest speaker at conferences in the United States and abroad. As a consultant to the banking industry, Seifried is a strategic planner and speaker at banking customer events. He is the author of the book, The Art of Strategic Planning for Community Banks.

Seifried has traveled extensively in the former Soviet Bloc countries, serving as an advisor and consultant to the newly privatized commercial banks. He received his doctorate in economics and business from West Virginia University.

Marci Rossell
Wednesday, October 24, 10:00–11:00 a.m.
A National Perspective

Marci Rossell served as the Chief Economist for CNBC in the months immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. She takes complex economic issues and makes them relevant to people’s lives, families, and careers. Prior to her career in broadcast journalism, Rossell served as Corporate Economist and Investment Spokesperson for OppenheimerFunds. She began her career as an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Rossell has a Ph.D. in economics from Southern Methodist University. She brings a world of experience – from Main Street to Wall Street – when discussing the U.S. economy, international events, and movements in capital markets.

Brian Turner, Director and Chief Strategist
Monday, October 22, 8:30–9:15 a.m.
State of the Industry and the Economy's Impact on Member Behavior

Brian Turner joined Catalyst Strategic Solutions when it was Southwest Corporate Investment Services in 1999. Before joining Catalyst, Brian was chief financial officer of Empire Financial Corporation, senior vice president of funds management and investments for the Central Bank affiliate of First Commerce Corporation, and served as senior vice president - treasurer of Bluebonnet Savings Bank where he directed investments, funds management, and strategic ALM. Brian served on the regulatory task force responsible for the development of interest rate risk guidelines utilized in current interest rate risk and investment management for commercial banks, thrifts, and credit unions.

Brian received an undergraduate degree from Oklahoma State University and did his graduate studies at the University of Tulsa. He is a member of the National Financial Manager's Society and a graduate of a number of financial industry and economic institutes. He also is a graduate of the Covey Leadership Institute and is a frequent speaker on various economic and credit union issues.

Casey Peterson, Senior Advisor
Monday, October 22, 9:15–10:00 a.m.
Strategic Considerations for Managing Loan Portfolios during Challenging Economic Times

Casey Peterson is a Senior Advisor with Catalyst Strategic Solutions, a credit union service organization owned by Catalyst Corporate Federal Credit Union. With the organization since 2000, Casey works with client credit unions to meet their goals in the areas of comprehensive financial management, ALM analysis, investment portfolio analysis and strategic planning. Prior to joining Catalyst Strategic Solutions, Casey spent 10 years managing asset-liability initiatives and investment portfolios for community banks and a commercial bank holding company.

Casey graduated from Angelo State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration, majoring in finance.

Jeremy Blair, Senior Advisor
Monday, October 22, 10:15–11:00 a.m.
Investment Portfolio Allocation Strategies while Waiting for Rates to Increase

Jeremy Blair joined Catalyst Strategic Solutions when it was Southwest Corporate Investment Services in 2007. He worked in the ALM department as a senior ALM analyst until 2009, when he joined the advisory department. Before joining Strategic Solutions, Jeremy managed liquidity, interest rate, and credit risk for residential loan pools and securitizations of mortgage-backed securities at NationStar Mortgage. Earlier in his career, Jeremy supervised European middle office operations for the EuroArb international hedge fund group.

Jeremy received a bachelor's degree in business administration in finance and a master's degree in business administration in strategic management from the University of North Texas.

Steven Houle, Director, Advisory Services
Monday, October 22, 11:00–11:45 a.m.
Managing Liquidity, Capital Profiles and Other Critical Issues

Steven Houle joined Catalyst Strategic Solutions when it was Southwest Corporate Investment Services' advisory department in 2006 and works with credit union clients on strategic financial and investment management endeavors. Previously, Steven worked at Concentra Financial, where he was responsible for managing the investment and derivative portfolios of client financial institutions and credit unions in Western Canada. His other key roles included analyzing simulation results and key performance indicators of client credit unions and recommending appropriate strategies while considering the balance sheet positions and the economic environment.

Steven graduated from the University of Regina in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in business administration. In January 2006, Steven was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Designation.

Mark DeBree, Director, ALM Services
Monday, October 22, 1:30–2:15 p.m.
Managing Mortgage Risk

Mark DeBree manages the analysts of Catalyst Strategic Solutions' ALM service. In this role, he also performs risk analysis and provides consultation for ALM clients. Mark measures risk embedded in credit union balance sheets and works directly with senior management in discussing risk mitigation strategies. In addition, Mark is responsible for managing the BancWare ALM5 model and works to develop new modeling techniques relative to emerging market conditions. Before joining Catalyst in 2002, Mark was an analyst at RichMark Capital Corporation, a privately owned brokerage house and investment bank. At RichMark, Mark was responsible for projecting income statements and estimating future growth and profitability of privately held organizations.

Mark received bachelor's and master's degrees in finance from Texas Tech University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Bob Browning, Regional Analyst, NCUA
Monday, October 22, 2:30–3:30 p.m.
NCUA’s Examination Initiatives for 2012 and Beyond

Robert Browning is a regional analyst with the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), reporting to the NCUA office in Austin, Texas. His duties include financial analysis of credit unions in the Midwestern states, comprising Region 4 of the NCUA, quality control reviews of examiner work, and special projects to analyze new or developing regulatory or safety and soundness concerns.

Prior to his current position, he spent 18 years as a field examiner, holding the position of principal examiner. His primary area of responsibility as an examiner was capital markets analyst, and currently, he is the regional coordinator with NCUA regional capital markets specialists.

Browning has a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and is a Certified Public Accountant.