The American Bank Systems team is focused on high touch customer care with compliance technology you can trust — whether in sales or in system support. We are proud of our team. Many have had
direct experience in banking, sales, and software development. Each member makes an important contribution to the overall team as well as shares
responsibility for leadership when working with the client.
James W. Bruce Jr.
Mr. Bruce began a banking career in 1965. He is Chairman of American Bank Systems, Inc. and it's subsidiaries.
Mr. Bruce began his banking career with Liberty National Bank and Trust Company of Oklahoma City in 1965. During his 25 year tenure at Liberty, Mr.
Bruce was responsible for launching the state’s first credit card program and developing the Bank's planning and capital markets functions. In his
capacity as Chief Financial Officer, he was responsible for raising approximately $175 million in new equity and debt capital. Mr. Bruce was the
principal executive officer responsible for the development and execution of the comprehensive financial restructuring of the parent company in 1988 —
the only major banking company in the Southwest to recapitalize privately without federal assistance during the region’s severe economic downturn in
the late 1980's.
In 1990, Mr. Bruce formed JW Bruce & Associates to provide consulting services to the financial industry and subsequently acquired controlling
interest in American Bank Systems in 1993.
Mr. Bruce is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration. He is Director of American Bank &
Trust Company of Tulsa Oklahoma and InvesTrust, NA of Oklahoma City. He is a member of the Executive Boards of Oklahoma City University's Meinders
School of Business and the Wanda L. Bass School of Music. Mr. Bruce also is a member of the Board of Trustees of Austin Presbyterian Theological
Seminary and a member of the Investment, Finance and Administrative Committees, as well as a member of the Board of Trustees and Investment Committee
of the Texas Presbyterian Foundation. He has co-authored a chapter in The Loan Officer’s Handbook concerning the relationship of asset-liability
management to loan policy. He also served on the faculty of the American Bankers Association’s National Commercial Lending Graduate School and several
other banking schools.
Edwin B. (Benjy) Cook
As President and Chief Operating Officer of American Bank Systems, ABS Proactive and ABS Consulting Services, LLC. Mr. Cook has been associated
with the company since 1978, having been responsible for virtually every operational aspect of the company’s activities during that time. He has
extensive knowledge of bank lending compliance and credit administration systems. Prior to joining American Bank Systems, he had a broad range of
responsibility at a community bank in Oklahoma City. Mr. Cook has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Oklahoma State University and post graduate
work in Accounting from Oklahoma City University.
James W. (Jay) Bruce, III
Mr. Bruce is Executive Vice President and General Counsel of American Bank Systems and its operating subsidiaries. Mr. Bruce has been with the
company since 1999. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Bruce was an associate with the law firm of Phillips and Murrah of Oklahoma City.
He holds his certification as a Certified Public Accountant. Mr. Bruce is a graduate of Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma
College of Law.
Thomas J. (Tom) Ryan
Mr. Ryan joined American Bank Systems in 1994 as Senior Vice President to implement a sales culture/management concept and to
direct the Company’s sales team and marketing efforts. Prior to joining the Company, he was associated with Dictaphone Corporation in
various sales management positions for almost twenty years. Mr. Ryan is a graduate of Cameron University with a Bachelor Degree in
Business Administration and served his Country in the U. S. Marine Corp. He is an avid student of sales and is intimately involved
with his sales team to provide superior care to his prospects and clients.
Charles K. (Butch) Block
Mr. Block is Senior Vice President and Managing Loan Review Consultant of JW Bruce & Associates, Inc., an affiliated company, through which
American Bank Systems performs loan review and other consulting activities. Mr. Block is an 11-year veteran of the Comptroller of the Currency
where he was a commissioned bank examiner. Following his tenure with the Comptroller’s Office, Mr. Block was associated with Liberty National Bank
& Trust Company of Oklahoma City for 13 years where he headed up the credit administration function and loan review activities. Mr. Block joined the
company in March 1998 to head up its loan review consulting activities.
Mr. Block is a graduate of West Virginia University where he earned both a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Business Administration. He is also
a graduate of Southern Methodist University’s Graduate School of Banking.
Elva Coffey-Sears
Ms. Coffey-Sears joined the Company in March 2008. She began her banking career in 1978 on the operations-side of the bank,
switching to a compliance focus in 1989. She has had responsibility for compliance for three Chicagoland banks, including chief
compliance officer for a $75-billion, multi-state, multi-bank holding company. She has served as an examiner with the Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency. In her tenure as a compliance consultant, she has assisted financial institutions with regulatory
remediation involving BSA/AML, conducted diagnostic compliance and BSA/AML reviews, and provided regulatory compliance and compliance
risk management training. She holds a bachelors degree in Economics from Loyola University of Chicago, and is a Certified Regulatory
Compliance Manager and a Certified Risk Professional.
Gina Ellis
As Vice President and Managing Compliance Consultant for ABS Consulting Services, LLC. Ms. Ellis has been involved in banking and financial
services since 1975, joining ABS in 2003. She earned the Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager certification and her banking career includes
significant experience in operations, accounting, planning/budgeting and internal audit. She has experience as the internal auditor for a multi-bank
holding company. Prior to joining American Bank Systems, Ms. Ellis was associated with John M. Floyd and Associates where she was an Engagement
Manager. During this time, she managed multiple consulting assignments and projects throughout the United States ranging from assisting financial
institutions in the areas of profit improvement, product development and implementation of overdraft privilege programs, development of sales cultures
and work simplification and process alternatives. Ms. Ellis attended Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma and the University of Central Oklahoma in
Edmond, Oklahoma where she focused on accounting and auditing.
Jason Leger
Jason Leger joined American Bank Systems in 2007 as Vice President for Development. His responsibilities include oversight for the
development of the Company’s software systems and overall project management. Before joining ABS, Mr. Leger’s experience included managing
the development of browser-based applications serving the financial industry, including online statements, remote deposit capture and data
archival systems. Mr. Leger has won awards in web design for national music recording companies and artists. His experience in multimedia
design and financial industry systems design has facilitated the Company’s focus on browser-based and current desktop compliance and document
management systems. Mr. Leger is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the PMI Institute. His creative background,
technical knowledge and experience in the financial industry combine to make our financial technology solutions relevant, hi-tech and
user-friendly.
Cody Roberts
Mr. Roberts is primarily responsible for the development and maintenance of CompliancePro’s extensive libraries of compliance
monitoring procedures. Prior to joining ABS in May 2005, Mr. Roberts was in the compliance department of financial institutions for
almost eight years including six years as a compliance officer for a chain of community banks. Mr. Roberts’ other duties have included
compliance auditing, consulting, and training. His experience includes being a member of the board and officer for an economic
development corporation that built low- and moderate-income housing. In addition, Mr. Roberts has been a corporate CRA, BSA, and
security officer. Mr. Roberts is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing.
Kevin Turner
Mr. Turner is the Information Technology Manager for American Bank Systems, Inc., with primary duties related to managing the technology
infrastructure. He joined the company in early 2008. Mr. Turner has been an infrastructure technology architect for the last four years,
with fifteen years of industry experience. Audit experience includes both SOX and SAS70. His education background includes more than a
dozen IT related certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, (ISC)2, ISACA, EC-Council, and CompTIA. He is a member of the Information Systems
Audit and Control Association and President of the OKC chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.