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Why community banks are banking on artists
Boosting the arts is a natural extension of the commitment many community banks make to their communities. Here’s how several community banks are engaging art and artists in their own ways.
Lindsay LaNore: Time for a check-in
Employees thrive when they receive regular, constructive feedback. Some experts suggest that having additional midyear or quarterly check-ins can be more effective than traditional annual reviews...
Tenacity drives Stearns Bank
The community bank in St. Cloud, Minn., has cultivated a culture that combines creativity and hard work. The result is an award-winning workplace that fosters growth for both employees and the bank.
Robert Fisher: Lead with integrity
One of my early mentors told me, ‘It’s often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.’ That piece of advice has … allowed us to be a little more progressive as a bank.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Staying the course
We must work to remain optimistic in the face of adversity and keep in mind that no matter how difficult that feat may be, it’s worth the effort.
Charles Potts: A culture of innovation
Innovation is a high priority for many community bank leaders, so it’s critical that we have a foundational definition of innovation.
ICBA’s 2021/22 executive committee: Close the distance
The 2021/22 ICBA executive committee understands that community banks are at a turning point due to changing customer expectations and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They tell us why...
40 Under 40: 2021’s Emerging Community Bank Leaders
Our third annual 40 Under 40: Emerging Community Bank Leaders competition highlights young community bankers who stepped up to help their banks navigate a chaotic year.
Lindsay LaNore: Making effective meetings
Meetings are a great opportunity to reinforce a team’s collective identity and establish a leader’s personal presence. They also offer participants a chance to find their voices. When organized and...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Lead with purpose
Our approach to service is not about checking something off the list for today. It’s about making incremental positive change over time.
Robert Fisher: Creating strong culture
Culture is more than just how bank staff interact with one another; it’s about how we convey who we are to our customers.
ICBA’s 2021/22 executive committee: Close the distance (part 2)
These online-exclusive interviews with the 2021/22 ICBA executive members gets their thoughts on their goals, on innovation at their banks, and on effective advocacy.
Fighting fraud with education
COVID-19 has exacerbated vulnerabilities to fraud. To combat this trend, Tompkins VIST Bank has been delivering valuable education to its small business customers to keep them informed and protected.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Focusing on our communities
Unlike our credit union counterparts, we pay taxes, and those tax dollars are spent at home to ensure our communities grow.
Here are the benefits of bank-owned life insurance
Over the past two decades, banks have increasingly dabbled in BOLI, or bank-owned life insurance. While there are downsides to consider, experts say the benefits of these policies can generate...
How 4 community banks came through for customers
The past year has put community banks’ local missions to the test, and they came through with flying colors. In the spirit of Community Banking Month, here are stories from several community banks...
Out of Office: Dave Wise
The senior vice president for business banking at $406 million-asset TS Bank in Council Bluffs, Iowa, picked up gravel riding, or biking on rural gravel roads and trails, during the pandemic to...
Robert Fisher: The importance of engagement
In today’s climate, our voices are vital not only to the future of financial services, but to the millions of small businesses and consumers who depend upon us.
New ICBA chairman Robert Fisher is in the driver’s seat
Faced with the unexpected and unexplainable, it’s hard to stay on course. But Robert Fisher is an expert at just that. ICBA’s next chairman is ready to help community banks and the customers they...
The de novo bringing craft banking to Atlanta
Craft Bank, Atlanta’s first de novo bank in more than a decade, was about to open—and then the pandemic arrived. Now open, it promises to give potential customers the ability to craft their...