Photo by David Fine
The Atlanta Fed's banking supervisors and regulatory staff put regulatory policy to work every day to enhance the stability of the financial system and its institutions. The Reserve Bank's Supervision, Regulation, and Credit (SRC) Division helps ensure the safety and soundness of financial institutions, compliance with consumer protection laws, and financial stability by executing the Board of Governors' supervisory policies and programs in the Sixth Federal Reserve District.
The division helps safeguard the banking industry by conducting examinations and inspections, monitoring emerging risk, and helping implement the Fed Board of Governors' regulatory requirements for the largest institutions.
SRC's Credit Risk Management Department supports the Fed's role as lender of last resort—the Fed makes loans to financial institutions experiencing financial difficulty when no other institution can. The department also assesses and monitors risk from these borrowers and determines appropriate procedures to limit risk.
Examiners use authority delegated from the Board of Governors to conduct individual supervision of all firms that SRC oversees.
The division's chief, Executive Vice President Mike Johnson, emphasizes the importance of delivering quality supervision. The Atlanta Fed aims to clearly communicate supervisors' expectations and bring about positive outcomes for the banks, their customers, and the public and financial system. The goal is for institutions to remain stable and continue to lend amid downturns, which benefits customers, the financial system, and the economy, Johnson explained.