How accessibility changed the appraisal game for City National Bank

 

Christina Pocrnich of City National Bank wears a lot of hats. As the point of contact for all CRE loans for over 25 lenders and 86 branches across 5 states, Christina has many responsibilities. In addition to being a point person, Christina also holds the titles of VP, Appraisal Manager, and Credit Policy Officer. “I am responsible for quality reporting to our Board of Directors, and I am becoming the commercial loan compliance liaison, too,” she says with a laugh.

Needless to say, balancing her time between each of these roles while keeping her hands on CRE loans requires some steady footing. Since we’re sure Christina is not alone in her quest for equilibrium, we knew we had to talk to her about how she manages to not only stay afloat but on top of City National Bank’s commercial loan appraisals. The key, she explains, is accessibility to a reliable support system.

HOW DOES CITY NATIONAL BANK EMBRACE BALANCE?

As one of the top performing banks of its size in the country, City National Bank has obviously discovered somewhat of a secret sauce for getting things done. Christina says not only is City National Bank a great place to work because of the people she works with daily, but it’s also an ideal place to work. The bank has implemented a few processes and perks that help keep balance at the forefront of their routines. One of those perks is that their internal compliance department has a broad contact base for keeping people like Christina abreast of any new regulations or newsworthy changes they should be aware of. By someone else weeding out the need-to-know from the good-to-know, Christina and the rest of City National Bank’s employees are able to get snippets of information through digestible methods. “They send us anything they think we should know,” Christina explains.

HOW IS A TEAM MENTALITY INTEGRAL IN CITY NATIONAL BANK’S SUCCESS?

One thing we know for sure is that staying on top of regulations can be a full-time job on its own. One of City National Bank’s goals in 2018 is to streamline the appraisal process and increase efficiency across the board, but especially in their central location. That means making sure everyone is on the same page. What’s at the forefront at the moment? Christina says, “Our biggest thing recently has been getting the new HMDA regulations implemented. We have a group of about 10 people that worked on getting the Bank ready for the January 2018 implementation.”

WHY IS A THIRD PARTY AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE PUZZLE?

Even though working with a third party wasn’t even on Christina’s radar when City National Bank was approached by MountainSeed through a mailer a little over five years ago, she’s found the partnership invaluable. One of the highlights of the relationship, according to Christina, has been the accessibility she and her team has to upper management, “It’s very smooth, and anytime we’ve had a concern, management at MountainSeed is accessible. We’ve been able to contact even Carl, MountainSeed’s CEO, and he’s available for us and makes us feel better.“ Further, Christina and her team appreciates MountainSeed’s willingness to go to work for them, “MountainSeed is very accommodating. If they didn’t know an answer, they would look into and get back to us. They’ve gone a long way towards meeting any needs we might have.” MountainSeed is a go-to resource as City National Bank’s third-party review for their commercial loan appraisals.

When you think of an AMC, think of them as an extension of your team. While on the surface they might be considered a third party, finding an AMC that understands your team’s needs and will work to fulfill them will ensure an equilibrium in time management and work efficiency. City National Bank is an example of exactly that.