Melissa Mantooth grew up aspiring to be a police officer, inspired by her grandfather, who served as a local officer in Birmingham, Alabama. Like many kids, her ambitions shifted over time, from teacher and band director to Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and music business executive, always drawn to roles involving math, which she loved.

While in school, she worked alongside her retired grandfather at security events, igniting her interest in behind-the-scenes work. She attended the University of Alabama, marching with the Million Dollar Band, intending to major in music business but ultimately earning a bachelor’s in general business. During college, she took a part-time job at a credit union as a teller, quickly excelling in various roles, from loan officer to real estate servicing analyst. In 2008, Mantooth became the credit union’s Fraud & Loss Prevention specialist, despite having no prior compliance experience.

Over nearly 25 years, Mantooth has worked in the financial institution and software industry, implementing automated solutions for anti-money laundering, Bank Secrecy Act and fraud programs. She has developed compliance programs for several Alabama credit unions and held roles in training, business analysis and consulting within banking software companies.

A founding member and current chair of the ACAMS Alabama Chapter, Mantooth is passionate about fostering networking opportunities that helped shape her own career. She has also earned the Anti-Money Laundering Specialist Certification (CAMS) designation from ACAMS.