Get To Know ICUL's New Regulatory Compliance Officer, Kayley Grant!

May 15, 2024

Hello! It’s a pleasure to meet all of you in this informal medium! I am the new Regulatory Compliance Officer for ViClarity, though I mainly serve the needs of the Iowa Credit Union League (ICUL’s) and its members. It has been an interesting few months, between speaking at ICUL’s Legislative and Regulatory Conference to working with Iowa credit unions on matters of compliance on a daily basis – I have learned so much! I have really enjoyed getting to know every Iowa credit union that I have had the pleasure to meet!

While I am new to the credit union industry, I am not new to the world of compliance. I have been part of the compliance world for nearly a decade…which makes me feel so old! In my previous position, I worked as the Compliance Advisor for a company that was a participant in the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This afforded me the opportunity to grow my compliance skill set by working with all sizes of RFS participants and stakeholders. I also engaged in regulatory advocacy by working with federal regulators to enact necessary, but fair regulations on the industry. After working with the federal government for such a long time, it’s nice to be work in a company and industry that will have a more direct impact on my home state!

While I have been a proud Des Moines-area resident for 11 years, I did not grow up here. I am originally from Waterloo, though I had the opportunity to travel between Iowa, the Twin Cities, and the Chicago-area at a young age. I attended Wartburg College for my undergraduate degree in Biology (pre-med), with double minors in political science and Spanish. I had a pretty amazing college experience as I got the opportunity to live in Mexico for a short time as part of my minor education, was a member of the Wartburg women’s varsity tennis team, and worked on my advocacy and speaking skills by being a member and eventual president of the Wartburg Forensics’ Team. Go Knights!

After graduating from Wartburg, I moved to Des Moines and attended Drake University Law School. I graduated from Drake Law in 2016 specializing in Intellectual Property. The question I get most often is: how did you go from pre-med to law school? I don’t know, I guess left turns are kind of my thing?

After law school, I made the grave mistake of moving to Illinois and litigating in private practice for a spell. The thing they don’t warn you about moving away from Des Moines is just how quickly you want to move back!  While I did not stay in private practice long, I can say that I gained good experience, even if it did result in another “left turn” into the world of compliance. I have been happily working in compliance since my exit from litigation and I don’t regret it, even a little!

I have been a life long member of an Iowa credit union (I’m not naming names) and have had a savings account since I was old enough to have one.

When I am not working for ViClarity or ICUL, I teach figure skating and run the Learn to Skate program at the MidAmerican RecPlex. In addition to that hobby, I also nurse a (probably) unhealthy relationship with Amazon Prime and my couch, play piano, work on DIY projects around my house, and enjoy hanging out with my friends.

I can’t wait to get to know each of you better and I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of ViClarity!

As part of your dues membership, ViClarity provides a comprehensive suite of offerings tailored to support credit unions in navigating the complexities of compliance. This includes a dedicated compliance hotline 844.731.6071 and email support for addressing state and federal inquiries. Members gain exclusive access to sample questions via PolicyAid on the Members Only website, assisting in policy formulation and adherence. Regular updates are facilitated through compliance newsletters, keeping credit unions informed about regulatory changes and best practices. A compliance calendar and access to state resources further streamline adherence processes, while BSA Training and other educational events ensure staff remain equipped with the latest knowledge. Additionally, quarterly town hall webinars delve into compliance hot topics, fostering ongoing learning and discussion within the community.