How Stellar Bank Streamlines and Automates Change Management

In the latest installment of our Spotlight on Success series, Brett Schimanski (EVP Senior Director, Enterprise Risk Management), Paola Than (SVP Director, Business Risk & Control), and Melissa Austrie (EVP, Chief Audit Officer) of Stellar Bank share how they use Optro's connected risk platform to empower the three lines of defense. 

Hear how Stellar Bank thrives in a connected risk environment by streamlining and automating change management, in addition to:

• Using Optro as an automated solution for preventative diagnostics 
• Enabling departments to speak a common risk language as everyone uses the same platform and dashboards 
• Improving collaboration between the internal audit function and risk management, with a focus on transparency

Tell us a little about Stellar Bank. 

Brett Schimanski (EVP Senior Director, Enterprise Risk Management): “We are currently combining two programs and bringing them up to the 10 billion mark. Optro has been invaluable as a streamlined, automated change management program as we move forward. Now, we’re working on risk assessments. We have our risk register, we’re conducting risk mapping, and are focusing on connected risk as we continue to grow and develop.”

What challenges has Optro addressed in your previous manual audit environment?

Paola Than (SVP Director, Business Risk & Control): “At Stellar, we follow the three lines of defense model. The first line of defense owns and manages its own risk. So, my team solely focuses on empowering the first line, documenting their information, and doing some heavy lifting. The first line serves as the experts, so they manage and monitor their areas. A system already built out, so we can just plug and play, has been critical and essential for our team.”

Melissa Austrie (EVP, Chief Audit Officer, Stellar Bank): “Optro prioritizes connected risk when collaborating with our risk management functions. Transparency is paramount when managing and leading the internal audit function at Stellar Bank. Using Optro enables us to be open regarding risks and issues. Now, we’re highly flexible in using the platform’s dashboards to speak the same risk language.”

How does Optro help you optimize your processes?

Brett Schimanski (EVP Senior Director, Enterprise Risk Management) “At Stellar Bank, Optro serves as our nervous system. So it tells us, do we have an ache in our hand? Do we have an ache in our knee? For instance, Optro can tell us what’s happening with our high-risk categories and what each department needs to look at.”

Melissa Austrie (EVP, Chief Audit Officer, Stellar Bank): “The vision ahead is to optimize the functionalities Optro continues to build. Optro builds something new and better to enhance our digital journey every quarter. In internal audit, I want to continue working smarter, refining what we do, and optimizing our approach to risk.”

Paola Than (SVP Director, Business Risk & Control): “Optro has helped my team feel empowered and inspired to take the lead. We’re part of such great changes and transformations within the bank. We’ve had such a huge impact when spotlighting ERM that my team is happy to take the lead and drive the big changes within Stellar Bank.”