AVP Compliance Governance and Reporting Lead

Cover Letter Garry Zimmerman, CRCM Lakewood, OH 44107 October 14, 2026 Synchrony Bank Application for: AVP, Compliance Governance and Reporting Lead Dear Hiring Manager, With over three decades of dedicated experience in regulatory compliance and risk management, I am writing to express my strong interest in the AVP, Compliance Governance and Reporting Lead position in Strongsville, Ohio. My background aligns seamlessly with the requirements outlined in your advertisement, particularly my proven ability to execute robust compliance risk management programs and reporting. Throughout my career as a bank examiner, Examiner-in-Charge and compliance professional, I have demonstrated a strong capacity to analyze complex laws and regulations, designed comprehensive risk evaluation programs and effectively interfaced with regulators and auditors. In my previous roles, I have consistently overseen compliance and risk management functions, reviewed and updated policies to ensure adherence to federal and state regulations, and provided critical leadership when assessing the compliance risk impacts of regulatory changes. For example, at Community Savings Bank, I designed and implemented a risk evaluation program that identified and quantified inherent risks, risk controls, and residual risks across operational functions and regulations, a testament to my ability to champion risk and policy stewardship. My experience extends to preparing detailed compliance reports and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of current regulations, ensuring that organizations remain not only compliant but also strategically positioned. I have a proven track record as a bank regulator and as a compliance professional of collaborating with business units, senior and executive management and boards of directors to ensure the effective execution of compliance strategies. Furthermore, my CRCM certification complements my extensive practical expertise in navigating the intricate landscape of regulatory compliance. I am eager to leverage my deep understanding of compliance, risk management, and regulatory liaison to contribute to Synchrony's commitment to excellence. My ability to analyze complex requirements and implement effective programs, coupled with my proactive approach to regulatory challenges, makes me confident in my capacity to excel in this role. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experience can benefit Synchrony Bank and welcome the chance to connect soon. My resume provides additional information on my background and qualifications. I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible to arrange time for an interview. Thank you for your consideration! Sincerely, Garry Zimmerman, CRCM RESUME: GARRY ZIMMERMAN, CRCM 17463 Woodford Avenue Lakewood, Ohio 44107 CAREER SUMMARY Highly accomplished compliance professional with extensive compliance experience with a history of leadership positions with two regulatory banking agencies, three large banks, one community bank and two large mortgage companies. Demonstrated ability to manage compliance and risk management functions, developed sophisticated analytical programs for fair lending and CRA to ensure adherence to federal and state regulations. Expertise in risk evaluations, compliance testing and proven ability to effectively interface with examiners, auditors, senior management, board of directors and vendors. Seeking to leverage extensive knowledge and experience to enhance regulatory compliance and strategic initiatives. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Vice President, Compliance and CRA July 2022 – September 2025 Community Savings Bank – North Olmsted, Ohio Community Savings Bank (CSB) is located in Noble County, Ohio with a management office in North Olmsted, Ohio. CSB offers traditional lending and deposit products to consumers and commercial customers. Oversaw compliance and risk management functions encompassing lending and deposit operations. Collaborated with senior management and business units to ensure the effective execution of compliance and risk management strategies. Reviewed and updated policies and procedures to ensure adherence to federal and state regulations. Designed and implemented risk evaluation programs to identify and quantify inherent risks, risk controls, residual risks, and risk trends across operational functions and regulations. Provided compliance leadership and expertise in assessing the impact of regulatory or product changes on compliance risk. Established and managed effective compliance testing and monitoring processes for lending (mortgage and consumer) and deposit functions. Managed the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) function, conducted CRA self-evaluations and submitted detailed CRA reports to senior management and the board. Created an analytical program utilizing HMDA data to quantify and compare performance statistics of the Bank and bank competitors that supported the CRA, fair lending, and marketing strategies. Developed a comprehensive fair lending analysis program to quantify pricing and underwriting disparities across all bank lending products. Managed the review and approval of all marketing materials to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including but not limited to UDAAP, the Can-spam Act, and the TCPA. Implemented the Bank's complaint program, provided regulatory oversight and guidance for resolving consumer complaints. Engaged with bank examiners and auditors during compliance reviews and advised senior management on the resolution of identified issues. Delivered compliance training to business units and members of the compliance and risk management staff. Developed analytical tools to support senior management's financial analysis of the Bank. Served as the backup BSA/AML Officer. Director of Fair and Responsible Lending May 2021 – April 2022 CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC - Brecksville, Ohio (Remote) CrossCountry Mortgage (CCM) is a nationally recognized lender offering purchase and refinance home loans and is licensed in all 50 states. Partnered with risk management and senior business leaders to manage the fair lending function. Designed and deployed analytical and testing strategies to identify and quantify fair lending risks, including pricing, underwriting, redlining, marketing and UDAAP across all 50 states and MSAs with significant application and loan volumes. Provided strategic guidance in developing and implementing a risk-focused analysis for establishing testing hierarchies and reporting frameworks. Collaborated with senior risk management in preparing fair lending reports for senior and executive management and regulators. Interacted with third-party fair lending vendors conducting fair lending analyses for CCM. Advised on fair lending regulatory requirements, regulator performance expectations, and served as a CRA resource. Directed fair lending analysts in performing fair lending matched pair file reviews. Prepared necessary documentation for regulatory examinations. Supervised one direct report. Senior Director, Regulatory Compliance October 2017 – May 2021 Freedom Mortgage Corporation – Mt. Laurel, New Jersey (Remote) Freedom Mortgage Corporation (FMC) is a top 10 residential lender offering purchase and refinance home loans and licensed in all 50 states. Collaborated with business partners to implement, manage, and maintain compliance with federal, state, and investor requirements. Served as a compliance subject matter expert, promoting the understanding of complex regulatory concepts and associated compliance risks among business partners and senior management. Interpreted new and existing laws and regulations, providing guidance on current and emerging regulatory compliance risks. Contributed to business initiatives, including new product development, process revisions, and system changes, offered guidance on the development and implementation of consumer-facing disclosures. Produced compliance audit reports, reviewed compliance exceptions with line of business managers, and provided assistance and recommendations for implementing corrective actions. Developed lending risk assessment models to quantify inherent risks, risk controls, and residual risks. Assisted senior management in formulating responses to issues identified in regulatory examinations. Supervised four direct reports responsible for overseeing compliance within the User Acceptance Testing (UAT) function to ensure adherence to compliance requirements. Provided fair lending expertise and advice concerning analysis, testing, and risk assessments. Routinely consulted by business partners for compliance advice on federal and state lending and loan servicing requirements. Proficient with Encompass, Mavent, QuestSoft, and Compliance Ease. Asst. Vice President, Mortgage Compliance Auditor Senior June 2015 – September 2017 New York Community Bank – Cleveland, Ohio New York Community Bank was a $49 billion institution serving markets in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona. In October 2017, FMC acquired the mortgage lending unit and the mortgage compliance department of New York Community Bank. Executed compliance management functions through mortgage compliance audits, provided regulatory guidance to compliance management and various business channels and contributed to the overall management of the compliance risk management function. Conducted mortgage compliance audits in alignment with federal and state regulatory requirements. Regularly served as a subject matter compliance expert, offering advice and guidance to business channels and compliance management. Provided expertise and guidance concerning Regulation Z, Regulation X Integrated Disclosure Rules (TRID), fair lending, and HMDA. Offered expertise and guidance on matters related to mortgage servicing rules. Provided marketing and advertising guidance and approvals. Developed lending risk assessment tools and advised on compliance risk assessments, risk controls, residual risks and risk trends. Provided guidance on RESPA kickbacks, fair lending, UDAAP, and complex APR payment disclosures. Developed and provided audit and calculation tools to improve the efficiency and accuracy of regulatory audit testing and reporting. Asst. Vice President, Director of Lending Compliance July 2013 – June 2015 Lorain National Bank – Lorain, Ohio Lorain National Bank was a $1.2 billion independent bank that provided services and products to Lorain, Erie, Summit and Cuyahoga counties. In August 2015, Lorain National Bank was sold to Northwest Savings Bank. Managed the compliance function across all lending channels. Developed and oversaw the compliance and compliance risk management process, interpreted new and existing laws and regulations, and conducted training sessions. Provided supplementary regulatory compliance expertise and support for nonlending compliance functions. Implemented and maintained compliance and risk management functions for mortgage, consumer, indirect, and commercial lending. Collaborated with business units to ensure the effective operation of compliance and risk management functions. Provided expertise and leadership in assessing the impacts of new or proposed regulatory changes and during the final regulatory implementation process. Established effective compliance testing and monitoring processes covering all lending functions. Developed and implemented a risk evaluation program that identified and quantified inherent risks, risk controls, residual risks, and risk trends by lending function and regulation. Developed and maintained a sophisticated fair lending analysis program to quantify pricing and underwriting disparities for mortgage, consumer, indirect and commercial lending. Created an analytical program to quantify and compare fair lending underwriting performance of all bank competitors based on HMDA data. Conducted CRA performance evaluations and prepared detailed reports for senior management and the board. Collaborated with bank examiners and auditors during compliance reviews, monitored progress, and advised senior management on resolving identified Issues. Delivered compliance training to business units and members of the compliance and risk management staff. Consistently provided leadership, expertise, and developed analytical tools for non-lending regulatory compliance areas. Bank Examiner April 2010 – July 2013 Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland – Cleveland, Ohio The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland regulates state member banks for safety and soundness and regulatory compliance. Examined state member banks to assess compliance with consumer banking laws and regulations, offering advice and guidance to bank management on regulatory matters. Conducted bank examinations to evaluate compliance with regulations governing lending, deposits, fair lending, and the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Served as an Examiner-in-Charge, leading and managing bank examinations. Assessed the adequacy of bank compliance and compliance risk management programs. Reported examination findings to bank management and provided recommendations and guidance for implementing effective corrective actions. Advised banks on current and newly implemented regulations. Performed CRA performance evaluations and authored public performance evaluations. Provided training to bank examiners on regulatory subjects and new regulations. Developed tools to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of regulatory testing and reporting. Senior Compliance Risk Analyst January 2004 – April 2010 Fifth Third Bancorp – Cleveland, Ohio Fifth Third Bank is a prominent financial banking institution headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It operates over 1,000 branches. •Managed compliance functions by serving as a regulatory compliance resource to various lines of business and conducting periodic compliance reviews. •Advised lines of business on regulatory compliance issues. •Collaborated with lines of business to assess the regulatory compliance impact during the development or modification of bank products. •Tested the effectiveness of internal systems in delivering compliant products and disclosures. •Worked closely with internal systems groups to implement necessary modifications for compliance requirements. •Reviewed and approved advertisements for regulatory compliance. •Conducted periodic compliance reviews and reported the findings to senior management. •Assisted lines of business in correcting deficiencies identified in audit reports, compliance reviews, and bank examinations. •Reviewed and provided guidance for the resolution of consumer complaints. •Developed detailed trending reports based on compliance review findings. •Submitted reports on compliance legislation to the Bancorp Compliance Risk Management group. •Created calculation and testing tools in conjunction with new regulations and products. •Interacted with bank examiners during bank examinations. Compliance Manager August 1998 – January 2004 Fifth Third Bank of Northeastern Ohio - Cleveland, Ohio Managed the Compliance Program through continuous monitoring and reporting of adherence to federal and state compliance laws and regulations, and by collaborating with various lines of businesses to maintain and develop compliant systems and practices. Executed compliance testing and monitoring in accordance with established program guidelines and timeframes. Reviewed compliance exceptions with business line managers, offering assistance and recommendations for implementing corrective actions. Prepared, reported, and discussed quarterly compliance findings and monitoring trends with senior management and the CEO. Implemented Bancorp Compliance Risk Management (CRM) plans within diverse business lines. Trained Tier I Compliance review personnel on applicable laws, regulations, monitoring procedures, and calculation tools. Reviewed advertising literature for compliance. Verified lending and deposit product disclosures for regulatory compliance. Monitored regulatory and legislative updates to stay informed of banking trends and developments. Engaged with bank examiners during bank examinations. Conducted lending and retail compliance training. Collaborated with the Information Technology Department to develop an automated and accurate delivery system for lending disclosures required by the City of Cleveland's Predatory Lending Ordinance. Developed numerous spreadsheet calculation tools for deposits, lending, and leasing. Created a series of highly complex spreadsheet programs to generate quarterly CRA reports in a graphic format, which received positive feedback from examiners. Developed a spreadsheet program capable of reporting the lending market share of peer banks in low to moderate income census tracts. Compliance Coordinator November 1992 – August 1998 Fifth Third Bank - Cincinnati, Ohio Monitored bank activities to ensure compliance with federal banking laws and regulations, and assisted in managing the compliance function for both the Bank and Bancorp. Engaged in compliance management and risk assessments covering lending, deposits, BSA/AML, and OFAC. Communicated monitoring findings to line of business managers, providing technical assistance and advice for implementing corrective actions. Compiled, analyzed, and reported violations of laws and regulations to senior management. Assessed the effectiveness of policies, procedures, systems, and business practices, recommending improvements when deficiencies were identified. Advised affiliate banks on regulatory issues and compiled and tracked affiliate monitoring reports. Collaborated with bank examiners during bank examinations. Developed spreadsheet compliance monitoring programs and calculation tools. Bank Examiner January 1988 – October 1992 Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Cincinnati, Ohio The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regulates national banks and federal savings associations for safety and soundness and regulatory compliance. Examined national banks to assess operational safety and soundness and compliance with banking laws and regulations. Analyzed the adequacy of earnings, capital, investments, and funds management. Assessed compliance with consumer laws and regulations. Evaluated the effectiveness of systems and controls to ensure safe and sound banking operations and ongoing regulatory compliance. Participated in loan reviews. Identified violations and deficiencies and recommended corrective actions to bank management. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science, Economics, 6/8/1987 University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager (CRCM), Institute of Certified Bankers/ABA, 11/2014