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Jim Reber: Supply chain histrionics
To start the year, here are my thoughts on the municipal bond market.
Aaron Stetter: Nonstop advocacy
ICBA stands at the ready to protect the franchise value of the nation’s community banks and develop tools to empower them to speak up and be heard.
2021’s Best Community Banks to Work For
This year’s winners do everything in their power to keep their community bankers happy and fulfilled. We asked both leaders and staffers to tell us what makes their community banks stand out as...
Beneficial State Bank’s financial activism
The idea that community banking can be a force for positive change is at the heart of Beneficial State Bank, which engages its customers through financial activism.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Focus on the light
While our decisions over the past year have been driven even more by our mission than by our bottom lines, we’ve also achieved good results.
Robert Fisher: Committing to being in the moment
Let’s collectively commit to being more present in all of our interactions. It won’t be long until we recognize what a true gift that is to ourselves and those we serve.
Strategies for finding the diverse board members you need
Community banks need to plan for the future, and that can mean looking outside of familiar business circles for potential board members. Here are some strategies for finding diverse board members...
Lindsay LaNore: Moving from idea to implementation
Terms like ideation and innovation have become buzzwords in our industry, but it takes great leaders to translate exciting ideas into real value.
9 tips for smooth succession planning
Community bankers and other experts are using succession planning to benefit the entire institution through better communication, recruiting and planning. Here are their tips for finding the best...
Lindsay LaNore: The great brainstorming session
If your bank is entering a new market, offering a new product or service, or establishing a new process, brainstorming is a tool that can help set you on the right trajectory.
Walden Mutual aims to serve New England’s food community
As the first mutual bank to open in decades, Walden Mutual Bank is gearing up to support New England’s farmers, food service industry and sustainable food community.
Robert Fisher: Who sits at your table?
Working with a community bank is like being welcomed into the fold, and that’s why we choose our partners with care.
Charles Potts: Integrating cybersecurity
As banks are revisiting their strategic plans and budgeting for the future, cybersecurity needs a seat at the table.
Lindsay LaNore: Creative teambuilding
Sometimes teambuilding gets a bad rap, and busy schedules can keep it from reaching the top of the priority list, but it is something every leader should have in their repertoire.
Robert Fisher: Education is the foundation
Educated customers form stronger relationships with their community banks. They are more likely to repay loans, live within their means and maintain higher balances.
Robert Fisher: A legacy of good
It’s our responsibility to help make our communities better places to live, to help pull people out of poverty and address issues they’re facing.
7 benefits that will make your bank stand out
Today’s competitive labor market means employers have to stand out from the pack. One strategy community banks can use is a well-rounded benefits package. Here are seven benefits that community...
Out of Office: Orvin Kimbrough
The chairman and CEO of $2.3 billion-asset Midwest BankCentre in St. Louis has been teaching students valuable leadership skills for more than a decade as a Washington University adjunct professor.
Brattleboro Savings & Loan is a force for good
Brattleboro Savings & Loan is the ninth bank in the country to become an official B Corporation, a designation that certifies the community bank’s commitment to its community, the environment and...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Engaging with talent
The people we employ embody our banks, and the personal relationships our teams forge with our customers make us unique in the industry and keep our customers returning.
Why internships could benefit your community bank
An internship provides opportunities for young people to be exposed to an industry and lay the groundwork for a future career. For community banks, they can be a tool for finding the right...
Lindsay LaNore: Lake rules for the workplace
Rules are the principles that govern conduct within an organization, and they can extend well beyond perfect attendance and dress codes.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Use your voice
[There is a] need for strong voices to weigh in on how new regulation will affect our communities and the customers we serve.
ICBA’s 2021 National Community Bank Service Award winners
ICBA’s National Community Bank Service Award winners for 2021 demonstrate that when their local areas need support, community banks are there with innovative, compassionate and thoughtful responses.
Robert Fisher: What it means to be a community bank
This is our moment to communicate just what it means to be a community bank.
CFOs reveal how they’re budgeting for change
In 2020, we spoke to community bank CFOs about how they were planning amid pandemic-related uncertainties. In 2021, we talked again to many of these executives to get their take on how things went...
Lindsay LaNore: The power of “I don’t know”
In the fast-moving world of social messaging, the phrase “I don’t know” has its own abbreviation. The very existence of “IDK” suggests that the state of not knowing—and being willing to admit...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Starting a new chapter
As we enter a new chapter and start a new financial statement cycle, know that ICBA will be there to support you with tools, resources and advocacy efforts.
Robert Fisher: Accelerating ahead
In today’s marketplace, we can’t be afraid to experiment and fail. Let’s embrace some out-of-the-box, entrepreneurial thinking to attack our problem areas.
Out of Office: Kyle DeCicco
The executive vice president and senior loan officer at $740 million-asset Sanibel Captiva Community Bank in Sanibel, Fla., competes in Ironman triathlons, tests of endurance that involve swimming...
Chief risk officers on how they manage today’s risks
The more community banks grow, the more risk they take on. Chief risk officers are the ones behind the scenes making growth possible. Four CROs sound off on their increasingly important role within...
Sunflower Bank is making change for schools
For two decades, Sunflower Bank has empowered customers to raise money for schools in their community. These efforts have generated more than $1.4 million for schools and started financial...
How your bank can attract and keep diverse talent
Community banks are close to the areas they serve, so it follows that having a diverse workforce that’s representative of their communities would be part of their mission. But it often requires a...
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...