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Should You Talk to Customers about your Community Bank's Finances?
With the recent failures of a few megabanks, customers may have questions and concerns about their own banks. Here’s how you can address them.
How to Streamline Balance Sheet Risk Management
Balance sheet risk management is a constantly evolving area. Luckily for community bankers, new tools are being created in turn to help optimize the process.
Lindsay LaNore: The Swift Swap
How to build community in your teams and incorporate fun into the workday without breaking the budget or eating up valuable work time.
Tips for Better Community Bank CMS Testing
By understanding and leveraging compliance management system testing, community banks can limit potential risk.
Derek Williams: Part of the Family
A bank that demonstrates it truly understands and cares about individual needs will create a meaningful relationship with that employee and strengthen retention in the process.
9 Ways for Community Banks to Cut Expenses
As the start of the fiscal year approaches, it’s a great opportunity for community banks to revisit vendor contracts, technology and more to limit expenses. We asked experts for their top tips on...
CFOs' Tips on a Changing Environment
Community bank chief financial officers are currently facing one of the most challenging environments in decades. Independent Banker recently spoke with community bank CFOs to see how they are...
Troy Bank & Trust Banks Carries the Torch for its Founder
Charles Henderson’s legacy as a businessman, politician and philanthropist continues to guide Alabama’s Troy Bank & Trust nearly a century after his death.
Member Benefits: ICBA Career Center
ICBA’s Career Center serves bankers who are both hiring and looking for jobs, connecting them to the financial institution careers and talent that they desire.
Out of Office: Dick Behl
The president of $35 million-asset Farmers & Merchants State Bank in Scotland, S.D., doubles as a weekend scuba instructor.
In Pictures: The ICBA Capital Summit 2023
To advocate for community banks across the nation, ICBA and participating bankers went straight to the source: Capitol Hill.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: A Tried-and-True Business Model
So much of what we’ve seen in the last six months is banks doubling down on what they’re good at doing: helping their customers and communities in ways that nobody else can.
Member Milestones: Keeping the Community Bank Spirit Alive
Each year, ICBA recognizes member banks celebrating significant anniversaries: 100, 125, 150 or 175 years. Each has a story that proves why these community banks remain staples of their towns and...
Susan Sullivan: Staking a Claim in the Digital Assets Debate
As Congress and other federal agencies discuss the evolving marketplace of cryptocurrency and a CBDC, ICBA is ensuring the voice of community banks are being heard.
How Choice Bank Used Tech to Recapture Ag Business
When ag retailers started offering financing options from national companies at the point of sale, Choice Bank hit back with the development of an innovative POS digital origination platform.
OceanFirst Bank's Financial Literacy Push
With a goal of improving financial literacy statewide and within its served communities, OceanFirst Bank N.A. in Toms River, N.J., donated $10,000 to Junior Achievement (JA) of New Jersey.
Out of Office: JD Bubel
The vice president and CIO of $240 million-asset Security First Bank in Center, N.D., is retiring from his second career as a rodeo stock contractor, a job he did with his father for the love of...
Compensation and Benefits for Community Banks' C-Suite
When selecting benefits for your executive employees, their wants and needs may differ depending on the state of the market, where they are in life and other factors. Learn how to tune into those...
First Community Bank Paints the Town Pink for Charity
In October 2022, First Community Bank in Batesville, Ark., raised more than $16,000 for breast cancer research. The community bank joined White River Health System’s Paint the Town Pink initiative...
Jim Reber: Portfolio Power
Barbell structure may be the right regimen.
Lindsay LaNore: 5 Skills to Master Early in Your Career
What are the career skills you need to learn in your twenties?
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Here for the Long Haul
Community banks … commit for the long haul as a true partner, helping customers withstand market turbulence and come out successfully on the other side.
Stephen Keen: ICBA Defends Against FDIC Special Assessment
As soon as the news broke about Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, ICBA sprang into action, shielding community banks from paying for the failures of the megabanks.
40 Under 40: 2023 Community Bank Leaders
In our fifth annual 40 Under 40 community bank leaders awards, meet the winners who are making a difference in their banks and communities through trailblazing innovations, a philanthropic spirit...
7 ways community banks can boost profitability
A profitability strategy has a lot to factor in given today’s uncertain market. Here’s what community bankers need to know when planning their budgets for the next year.
Community banks grow alongside their ag customers
The community bankers serving agricultural communities know how to roll up their sleeves and help with harvest, move cattle and work alongside their customers. Their commitment to keeping rural...
11 hot-button issues you should know about
While the political landscape in Washington, D.C., has changed considerably over the past year, ICBA continues to work with regulators and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for the betterment of...
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...
Banking on minority-owned businesses
Four community banks came together to launch a $1 million interest-free loan program to help local business owners who have faced barriers to the traditional banking system.
How cryptocurrency may be going mainstream
Beyond all the hype, cryptocurrency has unequivocally gained a loyal following, and mainstream financial players are taking notice. Is it time community banks got involved in crypto? One community...
Your 2021 physical security assessment checklist
Social distancing measures had a large effect on branch security over the past year. Here’s what to look for when doing a physical security assessment to account for the latest trends in...
What’s a special-purpose credit program?
In an effort to help financial institutions expand access to credit, the CFPB recently addressed regulatory uncertainty around special-purpose credit programs, or SPCPs. These programs are intended...
Why community banks are acquiring nonbanks
Acquiring a wealth management firm, fintech, title business or other nonbank organization can unlock new opportunities for community banks. But experts say that finding the right business to...
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.
First Home Bank’s PPP pivot
First Home Bank doubled down on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lending, dedicating its entire SBA lending division and dozens of other employees to delivering much-needed funds to businesses....
Is CRE lending bouncing back?
Commercial real estate lenders had a stellar year in 2019, but the pandemic hurt that momentum. According to experts, however, some sectors of the CRE lending market are moving forward, and...