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Benjamin McMahan
Associate Examiner, Level 3  
Denver, Colorado

“Working for FCA has allowed me to pursue my interest in finance while keeping one foot in the farming community. My parents are full-time farmers in Kansas and have been borrowers at a Farm Credit System association, so I already knew about the System. I also knew I didn’t want to be a farmer—in fact, my original career goal was to be an English teacher—but when I switched to a finance major at Baker University I decided I wanted to work in an area related to farming. So my job at FCA is a perfect blend of my interests in finance and agriculture.

“As a level 3 examiner, I not only have responsibility for the quality of my own work products, but also for pulling together everyone else’s work products and writing the final report that becomes the official record of the exam, and then reporting the results to the management and board of directors of the association. Level 3s do this for other associations as well as for ‘their own’ association—the one they’re responsible for on a daily basis. To lead an exam and present the results, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of all the different aspects of the exam. You’re basically building on everything you learned at levels 1 and 2.

“My writing and presentation skills have vastly increased. My training has also increased my knowledge of accounting and finance in a real-world application of the principles I learned in college. Because my interest is finance and capital markets—it’s what I want to specialize in once I become a commissioned examiner—my supervisors have made sure I’ve gotten additional training in that area by putting me on special exams to learn from other examiners and by giving me the opportunity to attend a seminar on capital.

“One of the things I like about working at FCA is there’s not a typical day. We do such a variety of things that what I do tomorrow can be totally different from what I do today. In the office, I do a lot of reading of different reports sent by ‘my’ association. I have to keep up with everything it submits as far as its reporting requirements go. The majority of my time is spent in analysis mode. I assess the association’s business plan that lays out its goals for the next three years. I review key indicators that affect the association, from its financial condition to its overall operations.

“My travel is a bit less than what it used to be—about 25 to 30 percent. As more technology is used by the associations, we are able to do more in our office than we could before. And more associations are merging, so there are fewer of them, which cuts down on travel. I personally like the travel, however. I get to see a lot of different places that I probably would not have gone to on my own. I enjoy experiencing the local flavor in my down time after work.

“FCA has been a good employer. The staff tries to make sure you have everything you need. Once you are commissioned, you can apply for different specialties, supervisory positions, or positions in other offices in the Agency. I see a lot of promotional opportunities at FCA, especially since a lot of examiners are nearing retirement age.”

• Patrick Fairchild, career intern examiner, level 1, Bloomington
• Jennifer Nelson, career intern examiner, level 1, Dallas
• Benjamin McMahan, associate examiner, level 3, Denver
• Kevin McAdoo, associate examiner, level 3, McLean
• Sarah Kreger, certified IT specialist, McLean
• Michael Anderson, program manager, IT/Operations Examination, Denver
• Robert Coleman, Director, Office of Secondary Market Oversight, McLean
• Eric Howard, senior policy analyst, Office of Regulatory Policy, McLean