Zach Starnes
About Zach Starnes
Zach Starnes serves as the Director of Operational Risk Management for Individual Solutions and Retail Affiliates at Transamerica, where he oversees risk management for various financial entities. He has a strong background in risk management and financial services, with previous roles at EY and Transamerica.
Current Role at Transamerica
Zach Starnes serves as the Director of Operational Risk Management for Individual Solutions and Retail Affiliates at Transamerica. He has held this position since 2019, overseeing operational risk management for both retail and institutional broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, and registered investment companies. His role includes managing operational risk for insurance agencies across the United States and Canada, which involves overseeing more than 50,000 agents.
Previous Experience at Transamerica
Prior to his current role, Zach Starnes worked at Transamerica as a Senior Manager in Operational Risk Management from 2017 to 2018. During this 8-month tenure in Denver, Colorado, he contributed to the enhancement of risk management activities within the organization, supporting business growth in the financial services sector.
Experience at EY
Zach Starnes has significant experience at EY, where he held multiple roles in Financial Services Advisory. He served as a Senior Manager from 2016 to 2017 and as a Senior Manager from 2014 to 2016, both in the Greater Denver Area and San Francisco Bay Area, respectively. Earlier, he worked as a Manager in the same department from 2012 to 2014. His work at EY focused on risk management activities across various lines of defense.
Education and Expertise
Zach Starnes earned a Master's of Accountancy from Abilene Christian University, where he studied Accounting from 2003 to 2007. He possesses extensive expertise in risk management, particularly in enhancing risk management activities while ensuring compliance with regulatory expectations. His proficiency includes using applications such as MS Office, TeamMate, Tableau, and SharePoint for operational risk management tasks.
Skills and Professional Attributes
Zach Starnes is skilled in process improvement and control design, with a strong focus on regulatory compliance. He demonstrates strong relationship management skills and has the ability to collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders to achieve desired outcomes. His background includes an internship at Patterson-UTI Drilling Company LLC in 2005, which provided him with early exposure to the industry.