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Why these banks are supporting women entrepreneurs
In the past 50 years, women have gone from a small part of the business community to a significant—and fast-growing—segment. How can community banks form mutually beneficial...
Preventing and detecting mortgage fraud
Many compliance functions are needed to detect mortgage fraud, from FACTA and FCRA to the SAFE Act. Here’s a look at the requirements.
The juicy story behind First Citrus Bank
Established 21 years ago, First Citrus Bank’s strategic planning is now bearing fruit. At the core of the Tampa, Fla., community bank is a set of fundamental values that define how its associates...
How the world's banks are using the IoT
Banks and fintechs are experimenting with web-connected devices—collectively, the Internet of Things (IoT). While some experiments have worked and some have failed, their efforts offer a...
What you need to know about instant issue cards
Adoption of instant issue cards has never been easier thanks to new technology. But community banks should ensure best practices for protecting cardholders and staying compliant.
Secrets of 4 community bank–fintech partnerships
Community banks and fintechs are working together to boost internal efficiency and improve the customer experience. But good partnerships don’t just run like clockwork. They require close...
FedNow is coming. Here’s what you need to know
Years of advocacy culminated in the Fed’s announcement of a real-time payments and settlement service. Here’s what to know about FedNow and what remains to be answered.
How your bank should handle consumer complaints
It’s important for community banks to understand and respond to customer complaints. But what should a complaint program include, and how might complaint data be an opportunity to improve your...
How your bank can stay compliant on social media
It’s common for community banks to have a presence on one, two or up to half a dozen social media platforms to engage with customers. But what does being an active social media user mean for...
Why your bank should be budgeting for the big picture
Your community bank’s strategic plan often takes things like innovation, growth and succession planning into account, but does the budget? How can your bank plan for these often unpredictable...
Meet the winners of ICBA’s 2019 National Community Bank Service Awards
Whether they’re helping their community recover from devastating forest fires, or investing in first responders, ICBA’s 2019 National Community Bank Service Award winners are rolling up their...
Community banks keep customers safe through shredding
When your customers leave their personal information intact, whether at home or in the recycle bin, fraudsters could use that sensitive data to commit identity fraud. Many community banks offer...
Who made our list of top industry loan producers for 2019?
Meet ICBA’s top industry loan producers for 2019. Whether they specialize in agricultural, consumer or commercial lending, they’re keeping America’s economy moving.
How to build the board your bank needs
Board succession planning is important for all banks, but getting the right board members is crucial—and complicated—for larger banks. Here’s how several community banks approached the...
How to create an effective digital payments strategy
Faster payments. p2p. It would be easy to feel overwhelmed at the speed of change. The key, say experts, is to ensure your payments strategy aligns with your corporate strategy.
How your bank can benefit from EXIM
The Export-Import Bank of the United States can assist your community bank in increasing its profits and providing more services to your existing customers while also attracting new ones.
Protect your bank from remote deposit capture risks
Despite the advancements of today’s banking industry, checks remain a common part of the customer experience, and remote deposit capture (RDC) has followed. What risk management strategies should...
Five steps to building an effective deposit strategy plan
SPONSORED | Building an effective deposit strategy plan is an integral tool to acquiring new, and retaining existing, deposits. Here are the five steps for designing, organizing and implementing a...
Why your bank needs dedicated cyber insurance
Some banks have relied on their existing insurance policies to protect them from today’s security threats. But as the amount of data that community banks amass grows, they should consider dedicated...
40 Under 40: 2019’s Emerging Community Bank Leaders
Independent Banker asked community bankers to nominate emerging leaders under the age of 40 in 2019. Here are short profiles of 40 young innovators who are making waves in the industry but still...
Why banks are becoming B Corps
With a commitment to better business practices, B Corps, designated by the non-profit B Lab, are a growing force that count many financial institutions and household brands as members. Could being...
Community Bank CFO Outlook 2019: What are your peers forecasting?
Independent Banker’s Community Bank CFO Outlook survey asked community bank C how they plan to tackle financial challenges, from complying with high-profile accounting standards to utilizing...
Revealed: ICBA’s best-performing community banks 2019
Our annual list of the year’s go-getters is here! Read on to see the 75 community banks that took the crown, and hear from nine that shined because of their cutting-edge technology, strategic...
What’s in your bank’s swag bag?
Forget toasters. Community banks are standing out from the competition and luring new customers with innovative incentives.
Ways to avoid flood insurance compliance violations
Avoiding flood insurance-related violations requires understanding loans, notifying customers and/or assessing insurance coverage requirements.
Site visits still matter. Here’s why
Site visits are the key to protecting your community bank’s commercial and industrial portfolio. Here’s why.
Community Spirit: Dennis Frandsen
After a lengthy entrepreneurial career, Dennis Frandsen of Frandsen Bank & Trust is giving back by helping Minnesota students pay their tuition.
Digital marketing tools your bank should know about
Digital marketing is evolving rapidly to meet customers where they are. We look at how remarketing, geofencing and other techniques can help your community bank get the word out.
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,...
How to build a successful payments strategy
Customer expectations and fierce competition—it’s never been more important to think strategically about your payments offering.
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...
The pros and cons of niche lending
In niche lending, your community bank’s fate comes down to expertise and passion for the work.
ICBA’s 2018 top lenders: Who made the cut?
Every year, ICBA calculates the top community bank loan producers in the agricultural, commercial and consumer categories. This year’s lending leaders point to many different success factors, but...
Community banks get creative with unused branch space
As branch square-footage requirements shrink, community banks are reserving extra space for everything from community events to small-business meetings.
10 tips to boost cross-selling
Throw your sales goals out the window. Help customers get what they want, and your bottom line will take care of itself.
Two approaches to overdrawn accounts
What community bankers should know about overdraft and sweep account rules.
Inside the new style of leadership
Successful community bank leaders inspire from the top while putting the team first. Here’s how.
Focus: The Right to Financial Privacy Act
What community bankers need to know about protecting and disclosing customers’ financial records.
ICBA’s top loan producers for 2017: Find out who made the list
Every year, ICBA calculates the top community bank loan producers in the agricultural, commercial and consumer categories, broken down by asset size. Read about 2017's lending leaders.
Who are ICBA’s best-performing community banks 2017?
Independent Banker’s annual listing of America’s best-performing community banks