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Ion Bank: A Reflection of the Customers It Serves
Ion Bank makes a point of fostering a diverse workplace and supporting local communities through its multilingual staff, fundraising efforts and inclusive outreach.
Powering Potential: A Guide to In-Person ICBA Events
ICBA’s in-person events offer unparalleled opportunities for professional growth.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: AI, the New Frontier
If you’ve ever watched an episode of “Star Trek,” you’ve heard its famous introduction proclaiming we must “boldly go where no man has gone before.”
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.
Lindsay LaNore: How To Be a Memorable Leader
Managing people is hard work, no matter what level of management you’re at. There are expectations from above and below, with never enough time to meet them all.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Communication Is Key to Mitigating Fraud
Cybersecurity and fraud mitigation remain significant priorities for community banks as attacks get more creative and targeted.
Lucas White: Conquering Check Fraud One Check at a Time
We have seen check fraud ramp up over the past two years. Fraudsters have turned their attention to check rails, reintroducing older forms of attack. And check imaging drove the shift.
Fidelity Bank Is Transforming Women's Entrepreneurship
By promoting education, advocacy, networking and financial support, Fidelity Bank's P.O.W.E.R. program is setting a new standard for financial institutions.
Establishing the Right Dynamic at Family-Owned Banks
Family-run community banks, like any family business, come with both strengths and challenges.
Grand Savings Bank Lends a Hand After the Storm
On June 5 and 6, employees at Grand Savings Bank in Grove, Okla., volunteered to serve meals to families and volunteers cleaning up after two tornadoes hit Decatur, Ark., on May 26.
United Bank: Incubating Success for Local Businesses
United Bank’s Church Street Incubator serves as a launchpad for budding companies by reducing their financial burden and building community.
Powering Potential: ICBA Certification Q&A with Ryan Capouch
Ryan Capouch, BSA and compliance officer at Reliabank in Sioux Falls, S.D., boasts more than a decade of experience.
Lindsay LaNore: 5 Values to Look for in Prospective Leaders
When it comes to identifying future leaders within any organization, it’s easy to resort to clichés.
The Independent Banker Reader Survey Results Are In
We asked, and you answered. Earlier this year, Independent Banker ran a readership survey asking you—our audience of community bankers across the nation—for your thoughts about the...
Out of Office: Kelsey Goates
After she found a passion for fitness, the central Texas community banker and ICBA 40 Under 40 2024 honoree began hosting weekly workouts to share her passion with her community.
Out of Office: Kaitlyn Dummitt
As a seasoned painter, AVP of marketing at $1.73 billion-asset Waterford Bank, N.A. in Toledo, Ohio, continues to discover new ways to enhance her artistic prowess.
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.
United Bank Helps a Plant Nursery Grow
As of 2024, United Bank in Atmore, Ala., has worked with Slay’s Nursery in nearby Elberta, Ala., for two decades, having helped its owners launch and grow their nursery and gardening store.
Lindsay LaNore: The 5 Ws of Goal Setting
As we look at budgets for the coming year, it’s a great time to think about how we set goals.
Umpqua Bank Supports Affordable Housing Initiatives
Umpqua Bank and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines recently partnered to award $160,000 in grant money to 13 affordable housing nonprofits in Oregon.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Leveling the Playing Field
They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, but when it comes to financial services, it doesn’t make for a fair banking environment.
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.
Out of Office: Ben Nelson
The senior vice president of residential mortgage lending at $3.1 billion‑asset D.L. Evans Bank in Burley, Idaho, found community theater in 2017 after taking on an acting role alongside his daughter.
Members Tee Up at ICBA PAC's 19th Annual Golf Classic
On June 17, the ICBA political action committee (PAC) hosted its 19th Annual Golf Classic at the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, Minn.
When Should Your Community Bank Use a Staffing Agency?
If your community bank doesn’t have the time or resources to recruit for open or hard-to-fill positions, a staffing agency is one way to take the burden off your shoulders.
Richwood Bank Cultivates Community with Each Cup
Richwood Bank brews up both coffee and funding for the community through its one-of-a-kind bank-owned coffee chain. Here’s how it worked with the Fed to make it happen.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Remaining Nimble Against a Litany of Regulation
Flexibility: It’s one of the characteristics that sets our community banks apart, enabling us to meet the needs of distinct communities in unique ways.
Powering Potential: Special Assessment Success Sparks Membership Momentum
ICBA’s success in achieving a community bank exemption from the FDIC’s special assessment leads to expanded membership.
Lindsay LaNore: 7 Essentials for Your Leadership Backpack
It’s August, and for many, it’s time to get back to school. Supply lists are on their way, reminding us to get organized for the coming year.
A Compelling Employee Perk: Education Benefits
Investing in employees’ professional growth has proven to contribute to their success and retention rates. What steps can banks and their leadership take to help employees along their career paths?
Powering Potential: Fuel Your Team's Career Growth
ICBA Education’s Professional Development Planner provides clear direction for community banks aiming to support the career growth of their staff.
Out of Office: Rich Ohnmacht
The executive vice president and chief commercial banking officer of $425 million‑asset Woodsboro Bank in Woodsboro, Md., shares his passion for the saxophone and what keeps him playing.
Tioga State Bank Celebrates 160 Years
It’s an extraordinary achievement when any institution surpasses 100 years of service, much less 150 years. But this year, Tioga State Bank, N.A., has gone beyond even that impressive milestone.
Certification Q&A: Guadalupe Arroyo
Guadalupe Arroyo has found her passion in financial auditing as senior auditor and assistant vice president of Western State Bank in Garden City, Kan.
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.
Lindsay LaNore: Practical Tips for Knowledge Transfer
When community bankers with decades of experience retire, they take with them a precious commodity: their knowledge. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Customers Bank's Dynamic AI Strategy
In response to the growing prominence of artificial intelligence in everyday bank operations, Customers Bank has embraced generative AI and developed an internal training program.
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.
The Importance of Change Management at Community Banks
As new technology and solutions ebb and flow, community bankers have to manage the change that comes with them. While change can be hard, offering a hand and lending an ear can ease the transition.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Connected As Independent Community Banks
When you enter ICBA’s headquarters, you are greeted with a large U.S. map that contains a peg for each community bank and a singular cord linking them all together.