Leadership
Salt of the Earth Consulting (SOTE) was founded in 2022 by Kathryn Dick, who serves as Founder and CEO. Kathryn brings more than 40 years of experience in financial services supervision and leadership. The firm was established with support from her daughters, Madeline Harkins and Gretchen Bruinsma, who helped launch the business in its early stages. Today, Kathryn leads the firm’s client advisory work, providing tailored strategies to meet each client’s unique goals, while Gretchen supports the firm’s operations and administrative functions.
Read more about Kathryn Dick and Gretchen Bruinsma below.
Kathryn Dick
Kathryn Dick is the Founder and CEO of Salt of the Earth Consulting and brings more than 40 years of experience in financial services supervision, risk management, and regulatory leadership. Through her advisory work, Kathryn provides strategic guidance to financial institutions navigating complex regulatory and risk environments, helping organizations strengthen governance, manage emerging risks, and engage effectively with supervisory agencies.
Prior to founding Salt of the Earth Consulting, Kathryn served in several senior leadership roles across the financial services sector. She spent more than two decades at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), where she served as Deputy Comptroller and Chair of the National Risk Committee. In that role, she helped guide the agency’s approach to identifying and supervising emerging risks within the banking system. Kathryn later served as a Managing Director at Promontory Financial Group (an IBM Company), advising financial institutions on regulatory strategy and risk management. She also held a senior leadership role at USAA, where she supported enterprise risk and regulatory initiatives.
Kathryn’s career has focused on helping organizations navigate complex regulatory environments while maintaining strong risk management practices and sound governance. Beyond her work with SOTE, Kathryn serves on the board of directors for Re-Member, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting members of the Oglala Lakota Nation. She also serves as President of the OCC Alumni Association.
Gretchen Bruinsma
Gretchen Bruinsma supports the operations and administration of Salt of the Earth Consulting (SOTE). She manages the firm’s day-to-day business operations and provides administrative and organizational support that helps ensure the firm can effectively serve its clients.
Prior to joining SOTE at its founding in 2022, Gretchen worked with a personal wealth management team, where she supported client services and operational functions. Her background in financial services and client coordination contributes to the smooth operation of the firm.
Salt of the Earth Consulting 