2026 Distinguished Service Awards for AML and Fraud Management

WASHINGTON — The American Bankers Association today announced that Rebecca “Becky” Schauer Robertson, executive vice president and deputy chief risk officer at Blue Ridge Bank, N.A., in Richmond, Va., and Karen Boyer, senior vice president and director of fraud intelligence, prevention and detection at M&T Bank in New York, have received the ABA Distinguished Service Awards for Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Fraud Management, respectively. The awards recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the anti-money laundering, combating the financing of terrorism and fraud management professions and have demonstrated leadership, integrity and service throughout their careers.

Robertson and Boyer were honored during the ABA AML and Fraud Conference today in Arlington, Va. Both have played important roles in advancing professional education and collaboration across the AML and fraud community.

Through their leadership, industry engagement and commitment to sharing expertise with fellow bankers, they have helped strengthen the industry's ability to identify, prevent and respond to financial crimes.

“The success of our AML and fraud community depends on professionals willing to share their knowledge and invest in others,” said Ryan Rasske, ABA senior vice president for risk and consumer markets. “Becky and Karen have done exactly that throughout their careers, helping strengthen both the profession and the banking industry's collective defenses against financial crime.”

Robertson is a 30-year veteran of the financial services industry and currently serves as executive vice president and deputy chief risk officer at Blue Ridge Bank, N.A. Throughout her career, she has developed deep expertise in risk strategy, financial crimes compliance and regulatory remediation across both traditional and fintech banking environments. A dedicated volunteer and educator, Robertson has been instrumental in the development of several ABA training and professional development initiatives. She served on the founding boards for both the Certified AML and Fraud Professional certification and the ABA AML and Fraud School and has long contributed to the ABA AML and Fraud Conference advisory board. Robertson helped design the school's original curriculum, recruit faculty and develop educational content, and remains one of its most highly regarded instructors.

Robertson is a former board member of the Carolinas Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and Virginia chapter of ACAMS, a former Chapter Boards president of South Carolina InfraGard and the South Carolina FBI Citizens Academy Alumni Association, and a former treasurer of the Crime Stoppers of the Midlands South Carolina board. Her commitment to training and mentoring the next generation of AML professionals has been a key factor in the success and growth of ABA's AML education programs.

Boyer serves as senior vice president and director of fraud intelligence, prevention, and detection at M&T Bank, where she is recognized as a leading expert in fraud risk management and fraud prevention strategies. Throughout her career, she has helped financial institutions better understand emerging fraud threats and implement effective controls to mitigate risk. Boyer’s expertise in fraud prevention and fraud mitigation strategies has helped financial institutions better understand and address an increasingly complex and evolving threat landscape.

A respected industry educator and thought leader, Boyer has shared her expertise through presentations, industry collaborations and educational programs focused on fraud risks involving rapidly evolving payment threats, social engineering, scams, account takeover (ATO) and intelligence sharing. Boyer is a highly sought-after speaker and educator whose willingness to share best practices, mentor peers and champion industry-wide solutions has made her a trusted partner and influential leader within the fraud management community. She has also been a strong advocate for ABA's fraud prevention initiatives, supporting educational programs, operational resources and collaborative industry efforts designed to help banks prevent, detect and respond to fraud more effectively. Her willingness to engage with peers and champion practical solutions has strengthened fraud awareness and preparedness throughout the banking industry.

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About the American Bankers Association

The American Bankers Association is the voice of the nation’s $26.5 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ over 2 million people, safeguard $20.7 trillion in deposits and extend $13.9 trillion in loans.

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ABA Honors Rebecca Schauer Robertson and Karen Boyer with Distinguished Service Awards for AML/CFT and Fraud Management

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