CRO Perspectives: Building Resilient Risk Cultures amid Transformation

Kevin Van Solkema is Executive Managing Director and Special Advisor to the President and CEO for CIBC Bank USA. In this role, he assists in strategic planning, advises on regulatory compliance, and identifies risk trends to guide decision-making. He also engages with key stakeholders, including executive management, board members and regulators, to strengthen relationships and enhance communication between the various stakeholders. In addition, he oversees projects that align with the vision for CIBC Bank USA, driving initiatives that support the bank’s growth and success. He is also a member of the bank’s U.S. Region Executive Committee. 

Previously, Kevin served as Chief Risk Officer for CIBC’s U.S. Region, where he was responsible for the its Enterprise Risk Management Program, which included independent oversight of credit, operational, market, liquidity and reputational risks.  

Prior to joining The PrivateBank in 2008 (which was later acquired by CIBC in 2017), Kevin spent seven years in various risk management roles with Chicago-based LaSalle Bank and its parent company, ABN AMRO.  

Kevin received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Grand Valley State University and master’s degree in finance from Michigan State University. 

Cary Lyne is President and Managing Principal Consultant of CJL Risk Enterprises. He helps firms, non-profits, universities, and boards strategically manage financial and enterprise risks. He proudly serves as the Co-Regional Director of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) Chapter in Chicago. Mr. Lyne was first Executive Chair of the GARP Buy Side Risk Managers Forum Round-Table. He has over 25 years of experience in leadership roles at Chicago-based financial services companies, including Northern Trust Corporation and JP Morgan Chase’s predecessor institutions, including Bank One, First Chicago NBD, and First Chicago. He was the first Global Head of Risk for Northern Trust Global Investments, a $750 Billion Asset Management Firm. Mr. Lyne also spent two years as a Senior Quantitative Risk Analyst at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Washington, DC, supporting the Large Bank Sections of both the Division of Supervision & Consumer Protection and the Division of Insurance and Research.  

Mr. Lyne holds a BS in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University and an MBA in Finance from DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.