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Community Bank CEO Outlook 2019: What’s on your peers’ to-do list?
Independent Banker’s inaugural Community Bank CEO Outlook survey asked community bank CEOs how they plan to meet their challenges this year. Read on for a glimpse of their to-do lists for 2019,...
Meet the winners of ICBA’s 2018 National Community Bank Service Awards
Whether they are overhauling local education, main streets or even their own reputation, ICBA’s 2018 National Community Service Award winners were unafraid to dig deep—figuratively and...
Inside the new style of leadership
Successful community bank leaders inspire from the top while putting the team first. Here’s how.
2017 ICBA National Community Bank Service Award Honorees
In extraordinary circumstances, this year’s National Community Bank Service Award honorees have gone the extra mile for their communities.
How to boost creativity at your bank
Large corporations that lack the agility of startups often turn to “intrapreneurship” to make time and space for creative development in the workplace. Should community banks be doing the same?
What happens when a bank hits $10 billion?
How—and when—should you prepare for the regulatory and cultural aftershocks? And can smaller but ambitious community banks learn from these best-practice preparations?
Out of Office: Evelyn Franco
The chief operating officer at $970 million-asset Frontier Bank of Texas in Elgin, Texas, is determined to hike and canyoneer through all 63 U.S. national parks alongside her sister.
First American Bank Draws a Chalk Path of Kindness
First American Bank in Artesia, New Mexico, embraced the spirit of Random Acts of Kindness Month in February.
Out of Office: Skyler Kanipe
The project manager at $1.4 billion-asset Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB) in Benton, Kentucky, is always on the lookout for her next vintage find.
Katahdin Trust Company Shoots and Scores for Youth Athletes
In March, $1 billion-asset Katahdin Trust Company (KTC) in Houlton, Maine, teamed up with Big Time Hoops to host its All Star Weekend.
Community State Bank Brews Up Coffee and Community
Community State Bank and Shepherds College united to create Shepherds Community Café, a donation-based coffee shop that fosters occupational experience for students with different needs.
Bank of the Pacific Strikes Up Support for a Local Nonprofit
In March, Bank of the Pacific in Aberdeen, Washington, sponsored the Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser for Friends of the Children Portland.
MainStreet Bank Empowers the Community, One Employee At a Time
Through its Making Change program, MainStreet Bank implores its employees to engage in and contribute to community work.
Out of Office: Brad Henion
The executive vice president and chief lending officer at $4.4 billion-asset ChoiceOne Bank in Sparta, Michigan, has trained hunting dogs for decades.
Out of Office: John and Lou Buhrmaster
John Buhrmaster, chief executive officer at 1st National Bank of Scotia in Scotia, New York, shares how he and his father, chairman Lou Buhrmaster, have a unique connection to vintage taxi cabs.
BayCoast Bank Helps Craft a Playhouse Fit for a Princess
In June 2023, BayCoast Bank in Swansea, Massachusetts, joined forces with a network of community partners to create a playhouse for a young girl with life-limiting medical challenges.
Best Community Banks to Work For 2024
In a tight labor market, current and prospective employees are drawn to good pay, attractive benefits and, importantly, a sense of purpose.
American Heritage Bank Offers Financial Donations, No Questions Asked
American Heritage Bank’s Community Chest program brings the community together to support those in need, one donation at a time.
First National Bank Colorado Fights Hunger in Its Community
Last August, team members from First National Bank Colorado in Las Animas, Colorado, got to work at the Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado.
Do You Want to Be Featured in Out of Office?
Over the years, we’ve shined a spotlight on community bankers with hobbies ranging from skydiving and vintage shopping to winemaking and showing livestock. Now, we’re on the hunt for more...
Oxford Bank Celebrates 140 Years of Community Support
Oxford Bank in Oxford, Mich., celebrated its 140th anniversary by building relationships, investing in the community and exercising purposeful giving.
Incoming 2025/26 ICBA Chairman Jack E. Hopkins Will Bring Small-Town Sensibility to Washington
Jack E. Hopkins, president and CEO of CorTrust Bank in Sioux Falls, S.D., has been a strong voice for community banking for years.
Why Your Community Bank Needs a Disaster Recovery Plan
Community banks like Countybank face and overcome challenges every day, but what about the events banks don’t expect?
Find Your Rhythm at ICBA LIVE 2025
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of community bankers across the nation heading to Nashville to learn, network and enjoy all Music City has to offer.
Insights from ICBA's Minority Bank Advisory Council
Minority depository institutions ensure their communities have access to the financial services that will help them succeed in the long term.
Stearns Bank Lays Groundwork in Minnesota's Hmong Community
Stearns Bank is fostering trust, financial empowerment and meaningful relationships with Minnesota’s sizable Hmong community by establishing a branch in one of their cultural hubs.
Member Milestones 2024: Steadfast Banks for Modern Times
Every time a community bank celebrates a significant anniversary, it’s a reminder that our relationship-based business model transcends time and generations.
Rockland Trust Turns Small Business Dreams Into Reality
Through its annual Small Business, Big Dreams contest, Rockland Trust offers small businesses a chance to win up to $20,000 in funding.
Community Banks Financing Lake Country
In lake regions across the U.S., vacation homes, boats and other watersports vehicles abound—all of which present an undeniable opportunity for community banks.
b1Bank Paves the Way for New Businesses
Entrepreneurs find education and capital through b1Bank’s b1 Foundation, furthering its small business relationships and the community’s economic development.
2024 National Community Bank Service Awards
Phelps County Bank and Woodsboro Bank’s outstanding charitable work has earned them recognition as ICBA’s 2024 National Community Bank Service Award winners.
High Plains Bank: Making Banking Easier for Spanish Speakers
In partnership with ICBA preferred service provider Jack Henry, High Plains Bank is working to remove financial barriers and enhance the banking experience for Colorado’s large Hispanic community.
Out of Office: Rachell Bilbrey
The senior vice president and director of treasury at $1.8 billion-asset Builtwell Bank in Chattanooga, Tenn., finds creative fulfillment through conceptualizing, creating and styling home interiors.
Endeavor Bank Turns Business Banking into a Conversation
Endeavor Bank’s consultative banking model boosts business banking with tailored meetings, onboarding roadmaps and community connections.
Independent Financial: A New Model for Expanding Healthcare Access
Independent Financial asked what its community needed most, then undertook an innovative approach to supporting public health.
40 Under 40: 2025's Community Bank Leaders
Our seventh annual 40 Under 40 community bank leaders awards shine a light on inspiring people who take bettering their workplaces to the next level.
Building Stronger Futures Through the Heartland Bank Community Foundation
Focused on youth development and family enrichment, Heartland Bank’s charitable foundation delivers meaningful results through strategic giving and community partnerships.
CFG Bank Uplifts Baltimore's Resilience Following Local Tragedy
From donations to innovative money market accounts, CFG Bank is supporting Baltimore as it rebuilds and recovers from the 2024 Key Bridge collapse.
Workplace Culture: A Make or Break for Community Bank Employees?
Culture keeps a workplace and its employees running—whether they know it or not. From values and practices to the way colleagues interact, culture drives a community bank from the inside out.
Bank of Zachary: Building Financial Foundations
The Bank of Zachary is equipping high school students with real-world banking skills to shape a financially literate future.