The Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) board of directors recently appointed James M. Cooper president and CEO. He was serving as acting president and CEO after the sudden death of CSBS leader John W. Ryan on May 16.

Cooper’s appointment follows a nine-year tenure at CSBS, during which he directed policy and supervision as senior vice president and more recently as executive vice president. Before joining CSBS, Cooper was deputy director at the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions from 1994 to 2013.

“As a longtime leader at CSBS and architect of important legislative and regulatory initiatives, Jim is singularly qualified to serve as CEO,” says Tom Fite, CSBS board chair and director of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. “Under Jim’s leadership, CSBS and its members will continue to advance state regulation and work towards the vision of a more networked system.”

“I am honored by this appointment and excited to lead the CSBS staff during a time when financial services regulation is at the center of great change and opportunity,” Cooper says. “We are committed to delivering on the vision set by our former CEO, John Ryan, to help unify and streamline the state system through our policy, technology and training platform.”