WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Treliant Risk Advisors LLC, a compliance and strategic advisory firm specializing in the financial services industry, announced today that Paul Lubin has joined Treliant’s Compliance team to form and head the firm’s Mystery Shopping and Self-testing unit. “Mystery shopping, market research, and self-testing have never been more important to financial institutions for improving results while managing risk,” said Paul Lubin. Paul is a preeminent authority in this area; he owned and operated Barry Leeds & Associates, one of the leading financial services mystery shopping and market research firms in the country. His experience in fair lending and market research spans more than 30 years.
Paul developed many of the programs used today to measure customer service and detect discrimination and unfair sales practices. Since the early 1990’s, Paul has designed and managed hundreds of mystery shopping and self-testing programs. He has helped financial institutions seeking to deliver superior customer service and lenders facing allegations of discrimination and unfair sales practices. Many of the self-testing programs he developed and managed were required by DOJ and regulatory consent orders and decrees.
“Paul Lubin is an invaluable addition to our fair lending practice,” said Jo Ann Barefoot, Co-Chair of Treliant Risk Advisors. “His expertise in developing mystery shop and self-testing programs to help banks ensure compliance with fair lending laws is essential to our clients and our practice. We welcome him to our team.”
Mr. Lubin has written extensively on the subject. In the mid-1990’s Paul authored a book for Freddie Mac entitled Fair Lending: An Introduction to Self-Evaluation. In 2007, he presented and published a paper for the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, Understanding Consumer Credit Symposium, entitled “Fair Lending Testing: Best Practices, Trends and Training.” The paper is often cited by regulators as a reference for methods used to measure discrimination and compliance by financial institutions. In 2010, he authored a second book, Protecting Main Street: Measuring the Customer Experience in Financial Services for Business and Public Policy. The book has drawn praise from experts in business and academia, and has been purchased and reviewed by regulatory agencies. Paul has also authored articles that have appeared in ABA Bank Compliance and the American Banker and has spoken at financial industry conferences on the topic of fair lending testing, mystery shopping, and customer satisfaction.
“It is imperative today that banks limit the risks they incur to their business and reputation. Mystery shopping and self-testing not only assess a bank’s adherence to laws, regulations, and business protocols; it is also the only way for a bank to measure the experience of potential customers, and to use the lessons learned to improve its sales and service,” added Paul Lubin, Treliant’s new Senior Director of Fair Lending and Compliance. “I look forward to working with the Treliant team and our financial institution clients.”
About Treliant Risk Advisors LLC
Treliant Risk Advisors, headquartered in Washington, DC and with offices in New York and Los Angeles, is a multi-disciplinary consulting, compliance, and strategic advisory firm for the financial services industry. With a strong team of highly experienced executives who have held senior leadership positions in Fortune 100 companies, financial institutions, and regulatory agencies, Treliant Risk Advisors provides its clients with critical compliance, risk management, and business advice and solutions. Services include: crisis and risk management, regulatory compliance, business consulting, acquisition strategy, corporate governance, due diligence, self-testing, portfolio evaluation, financial analysis, and litigation expert sourcing. For more information, visit www.treliant.com.