Kurt O'Connor Cpa, Cia, Cbsm

Kurt O'Connor is a CPA and CIA with extensive work experience in various roles related to risk management, financial analysis, and auditing. Currently, they serve as the VP, Operational Risk Director & Information Security Officer at Heartland Bank and Trust Company, where they lead the enterprise-wide risk assessment and monitoring process. Prior to this, Kurt worked at State Farm as the Enterprise Planning & Analysis Lead, Sr. Manager Operational Risk, Credit Card Product Manager, and Finance Manager - Bank Planning and Analysis. Kurt was responsible for managing operational risk assessments, product development, financial planning, and analysis. Before joining State Farm, Kurt worked at PwC as an Assurance Manager, handling financial statement audits and providing technical guidance on accounting principles and regulatory compliance. Kurt also gained valuable experience at Abbott as a Manager - Export Compliance, Senior Cost Analyst/Finance Manager, and Senior Domestic Financial Auditor, where they focused on export law, cost analysis, and financial and operational audits. Kurt began their career at Arthur Andersen & Co., where they worked as an Assurance Staff/Senior, conducting financial statement audits for public and non-public companies in the manufacturing industry. Overall, Kurt's work experience demonstrates their expertise in risk management, financial analysis, and auditing.

Kurt O'Connor, CPA, CIA, CBSM, pursued their undergraduate education at Carthage College from 1995 to 1998, where they obtained a Bachelor's degree in Accounting. Prior to attending Carthage College, they briefly attended Wake Forest University in 1994, focusing on Business studies. In addition to their formal education, Kurt O'Connor has obtained various certifications throughout their career. Kurt holds the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) certification, Certified Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) designation, and is a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute (FFSI). Kurt O'Connor also has acquired several additional professional certificates, including those in Operational Risk Management, Communication, Data Visualization, Leadership Mindsets, and Mentally Strong Habits. These certificates were obtained from institutions such as LinkedIn and the American Bankers Association.