It has been two years since we last came together in person at ICBA LIVE, and I cannot wait for this year’s convention. While virtual events have provided connection, learning and development, there’s something so special about assembling with our communities, where the energy is palpable and we are inspired from interactions with one another.
That in-person collaboration and networking creates a platform for us to share thoughts and ideas in an organic way that’s so natural to community bankers, and we are both celebrating and honoring the fact we can be together again.
Where I’ll Be this month
I’ll be prepping for and then attending ICBA LIVE 2022 in San Antonio, Texas.
It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what makes ICBA LIVE so special, but I believe it is in a shared sense of purpose that arises whenever community bankers convene. We have this unique opportunity to meet bankers from across the country who have challenges and experiences similar to our own, and together, talk through those pain points and identify solutions. We listen to panel discussions where lessons learned are shared, participate in workshops for firsthand knowledge and are encouraged by general session speakers who motivate us to take our leadership to the next level.
And that sense of community extends to the providers who support our efforts. In the Expo, we can meet with partners who will help facilitate our next big idea. We hear from the ThinkTECH Accelerator cohort and see demos of the latest products and services introduced for our industry. In short, we have a one-stop shop to dive into the technical, regulatory and operational products for our customers, and we have colleagues present who have used these solutions and can share firsthand experiences with them.
Our goal with ICBA LIVE is to provide a snapshot of the broad community banking landscape, and in such a shifting, dynamic environment, that is all the more important. We work hard to facilitate discussions about some of the most challenging topics and create an open, honest dialogue about viable solutions.
So, I hope you will join us at ICBA LIVE this year to engage in person as we write the next chapter in our collective stories and prepare for what the coming year (and years) will bring. I encourage you to identify the pieces that work best for your bank and adopt them boldly, drawing on the collective knowledge of your peers to help you navigate any challenges in your path. Because we are stronger together than we are apart, and when our community of community bankers assembles, there is no stopping the successes we will achieve.
