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How BHG Financial’s innovative solutions can help community banks thrive in the digital age
SPONSORED | First Citizens Bank, an Iowa state-chartered bank, uses OnBoard’s board management software to increase efficiency and deliver a consistent, improved process for its boards, committees,...
5 ways to shake up your lending strategy
A new approach to loan protocols is just one way for community banks to grow in new and different directions. Assessing best practices, rates, marketing efforts and more can position loan producers...
How community banks can help young homebuyers
As house prices skyrocket, student loan debt grows and wages stagnate, many Gen Zers and millennials are watching their homebuying dreams move out of reach. But there are ways community banks can...
Who were ICBA's Top Lenders of 2022?
Highlighted here are some of last year’s most successful loan producers in the areas of agriculture, commercial and consumer/mortgage lending.
The effect of nonbanks in the mortgage space
Nonbank institutions continue to be serious contenders in the home lending space. We look at how community banks can counter nonbanks’ offerings through streamlined technology, customer service and...
Is commercial lending on the rise?
Loan providers share an infectious enthusiasm and growing optimism for one vertical’s prospects in 2022: commercial lending. Here’s how community bankers can take advantage of various...
Jim Reber: Mayday for mortgages?
Rising borrower costs have consequences for MBS.
How thrift and mutual banks are benefiting their customers
Thrift banks, otherwise known as savings and loans, focus on turning deposits into consumer mortgage loans. We take a deep dive into what lies at the heart of these community banks’ business models...
The top-performing community banks of 2021
Independent Banker’s annual listing top-performing community banks of 2021 alongside interviews with some of the winners. In true community bank fashion, each has its own story to tell and its own...
Mortgage eClosing: The Path to eSignatures
SPONSORED | The path to eClosing is complex but achievable. During this Dialogue on Demand session, we will uncover the benefits and uses of eSignatures, legislation surrounding eSignatures and...
Prepare for a purchase market and create mortgage efficiencies
SPONSORED | The mortgage industry is very volatile. How can lenders be ready? In this webinar, you’ll learn about how APIs can enhance the experience for both borrowers and lenders and preparing...
Niche lending ideas: Green products and services
Community banks thrive in niche markets, and lending in new spaces is just one of the ways they serve their communities. As the market for “green” products and services evolves, we asked community...
First Women’s Bank tackles small business inequity
Dismayed at the lack of business ownership opportunities and advancement afforded to entrepreneurial women, Marianne Markowitz spearheaded a consortium to form a women-founded, women-owned and...
Building greater strength with FICO
SPONSORED | As the world has evolved, so has the way we analyze credit. New and exciting technology makes way for innovative algorithms that give us a more defined look at an even greater data set.
Developing leaders in mortgage lending – Navigating uncertainty with leadership strategies
SPONSORED—Will the high loan origination activity originally witnessed in 2020 continue over time? Numbers from 2021 would indicate that a decline is underway. Download Finastra’s white paper...
The benefits of micro-lending programs
Despite the large number of PPP loans distributed to small businesses, funding didn’t always reach those who needed it the most. These community banks are working to fix that through microlending...
The power of a CDFI
First Southwest Bank is carving out new business models to address a need for credit and financial services through nonprofit lending programs and software that leverages its community development...
The community banks standing by hospitality customers
Many hotels and other hospitality businesses haven’t fully bounced back from COVID-19 travel and safety restrictions, but community banks have been by their side through the challenges. Luckily,...
The banks serving active duty personnel
Community banks operate on a majority of the country’s military installations. Given their selfless service, active-duty personnel rely on community banks that understand their unique needs.
How University Bank is redressing redlining
Widespread housing discrimination made homeownership unattainable for Black Americans for generations. To address this, University Bank and a nonprofit launched a new mortgage program, creating a...