Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS)

What Is the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS)?

The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) is a national organization founded in 1902 to further advance the ideas and professionalism of state banking departments. Originally known as the National Association of Supervisors of State Banks, the organization changed its name in 1971 to the CSBS in order to more accurately reflect the organization’s activities. The CSBS is also an advocate for the interests of state banking to the respective state legislative and regulatory agencies. The CSBS provides training and continued education for examiner professionals, graduate school scholarships, and resources for examiners, researchers, and other industry professionals.

Understanding the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS)

One of the main goals of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors is to advance and protect the U.S. dual banking system and to prevent any federal regulatory preemption of state laws that could endanger that dual banking system. Acting as the single voice to Congress for state banks, the CSBS also enhances cooperation between state and federal regulators to improve oversight. The CSBS works to ensure consumer safety in the state banking system, to nurture economic growth on the state level, and to encourage innovations in state banking supervision.

The CSBS puts out an annual report on the work done by state regulators that year. The report seeks to illuminate collaborations between federal and state regulators that support and strengthen the dual banking system.

Training, Education, and Resources Provided by the CSBS

The CSBS offers a range of training and continuing education options for finance professionals. The CSBS organizes technical schools on a range of necessary skills for bank examiners, as well as continuing and executive education programs and online training. Every year, the CSBS Education Foundation contributes to three state banking personnel scholarships for students to attend a graduate school of banking or trust.

In addition to training, certification, and education resources, the CSBS also prepares tools and resources for bank examiners, researchers, and other state banking industry professionals. These tools and resources include CSBS Risk Reports and examiner job aids, such as templates and instruction manuals for software. In partnership with the Federal Reserve System, the CSBS hosts a Community Banking Research Conference, at which researchers and academics in the finance industry can present their findings and explore issues relevant to the industry. The CSBS also publishes nontechnical resource guides on such issues as cybersecurity and electronic crimes.