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Out of office: Ryan Monica
The assistant vice president and sales manager of Metairie Bank in Metairie, La., is a passionate music producer, guitarist and DJ. He plays gigs all around Louisiana, including outdoor festivals,...
Charles Potts: ICBA's legacy of success
In 2022, ICBA’s award-winning ThinkTECH Accelerator program reached more community banks with innovative solutions and partnerships than ever before.
Aaron Stetter & Joe Schneider: ICBA state association partnerships
ICBA works closely with our affiliated state associations to identify creative ways to communicate our collective message to Congress and the regulatory agencies.
Board succession planning after a merger
From blending differing values to choosing a new chairman, many challenges can arise after a merger or acquisition.
Best Community Banks to Work For 2022
What great resignation? In our annual workplace survey, employees of ICBA’s best community banks to work for told us they benefit from engaging cultures, opportunities for advancement and...
Lindsay LaNore: The art of saying "thank you"
The end of the year is the perfect time to share your appreciation for the hard work and successes of the year gone by.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: The people make the bank
How we hire, retain, recruit and advance our missions amid momentous change will remain a key topic for community bank leaders and will influence our plans for the future.
Brad M. Bolton: Putting the “community” in community banking
People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and community banks provide that opportunity.
Brad M. Bolton: FedNow and faster digital payments
FedNow can be another positive differentiator for our nation’s community banks, but we must be ready for this real-time service and its 24/7/365 requirements.
Jim Reber: Inversion investing
Upside-down yield curve offers some possibilities.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Navigating the digital movement
The habits of our customers change, and we’re constantly walking beside them, transforming our services to meet their needs.
Charles Potts: Opportunities in the fintech landscape
A convergence of economic and marketplace factors presents community banks with new opportunities for innovation and growth as they look to the new year.
Mark Scanlan: Nobody serves rural America better than community banks
ICBA is dedicated to ensuring the role of community banks is properly communicated to policymakers so community banks can remain viable and compete on a level playing field.
Lindsay LaNore: Winning the war for talent
Providing employees with the opportunity to learn has proven time and again to increase engagement, fulfillment, performance and productivity.
John V. Anderson: 75 years in community banking
John V. Anderson celebrates 75 years in community banking this year. The chairman emeritus of F&M Bank offers us a glimpse of his life, his career and the lessons he’s learned along the way.
How these community banks support Native communities
Community banks with deep roots and pride in their Native American heritage are committed to providing financial assistance, housing aid, lending and educational outreach to underserved tribal...
Brad M. Bolton: Protect customers against fraud
The knowledge we have cultivated over years of circumventing attacks means that we have a depth of understanding about cyber and data security that the general population doesn’t—and those...
Jim Reber: New trials, new tricks
Proactive investment strategies are appearing in bank portfolios.
Aaron Stetter: ICBA fighting Durbin amendment credit card expansion
The newly proposed Credit Card Competition Act could severely restrict community banks’ freedom regarding credit card payments, with cost hikes unfairly passed along to the consumer and the greater...
Charles Potts: Fighting cybercrime one innovation at a time
Community banks are at a critical juncture when it comes to cybersecurity. ICBA has extensive knowledge, expertise and education you can tap into to help you chart the path ahead.
Lindsay LaNore: How to beat burnout
The leading causes of burnout include dealing with unclear expectations, and feeling overworked, underappreciated or unsupported by a manager or team. Combat burnout by renewing your bank’s focus...
Brad M. Bolton: Compliance as a focal point
Managing compliance is a role that community bankers take more seriously than any other segment of the financial services industry.
Charles Potts: Agtech’s innovation opportunities
Agtech—the application of technology to every aspect of the food production process, from farm to table—is growing in importance to the mission of ICBA and community banks.
Lindsay LaNore: Lessons from an escape room
As teams, how well do we work under pressure? The ICBA Community Banker University team recently had a chance to think about that when, at our annual strategy and teambuilding meeting, we found...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: The spirit of service
Community banks stand out in today’s financial services space because our business model depends on an ecosystem where the bank only benefits when customers do.
Charles Potts: Fueling growth through innovation
Innovation is taking place all around us at a pace unlike anything we have ever experienced. We’ve developed an ecosystem to foster growth through innovative partnerships and community involvement.
SouthState Bank turns swag into art
After a recent merger, SouthState Bank had hundreds of unused T-shirts featuring its old logo. Rather than send them to the landfill, it donated them to a community textile arts project that...
Jim Reber: Floating rate assets are back
Floaters are gaining popularity. Again.
Lindsay LaNore: Strategic training initiatives
The workplace is in constant flux, business goals are growing, and employee preferences are evolving. Ensure that your professional development programs support your strategic goals.
Charles Potts: Strengthening human connections
Community banks are the lifeblood of communities, but people are the lifeblood of community banks.
Brad M. Bolton: Retaining the best
Community bank employees fill a special role, unlike no other position in the market today, and we must do a better job of telling that story.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Budget prioritization
Community banks stand out in today’s financial services space because our business model depends on an ecosystem where the bank only benefits when customers do.
The community banks beating the Great Resignation
A mass exodus of the U.S. workforce during the pandemic brought challenges in recruiting entry- to mid-level staff. These community banks share how they have (or haven’t) altered their hiring...
Member Milestones: Landmark anniversaries
From centennials to dodransbicentennials (that’s 175 years), 36 community banks are marking significant anniversaries in 2022. Four presidents and CEOs reflect on how their banks survived the past,...
Jim Reber: Three chords and the truth
Country music evokes portfolio management themes.
Lindsay LaNore: Getting more out of virtual learning
Whether you are in the learner’s or supervisor’s seat, the phrase “You only get out what you put into it” should be top of mind as every community bank looks to continue enriching its professional...
Brad M. Bolton: Working through difficult times
Working through any difficulty or crisis at your community bank won’t be a walk in the park, but it may lead to an experience for which you’re truly grateful.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Shifts in lending
Loan providers are multiplying, and we cannot underestimate the need for a frictionless loan, one that removes hoops for our customers and feels simple, efficient and effective.
Introducing the 2022 ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator finalists
The 2022 ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator spotlighted some of the most innovative fintech providers. We asked this year’s cohort how community banks can harness today’s technologies and solutions to...
40 Under 40: Emerging Community Bank Leaders in 2022
Our fourth annual 40 Under 40: Emerging Community Bank Leaders competition highlights the achievements of young community bankers across the nation, who are leading the charge on the future of...
How gamification can be a boon for community banks
Community banks are getting into gamification—and it’s been better for business. Introducing gaming elements into apps and company training tools can result in cost savings, increased...
Brad M. Bolton: Community continuation
Community continuation is not about checking a regulatory box; it means putting a name to the people who will be the future of our banks.
Customer Understanding Deepens Relationships
SPONSORED | Investing in your tech stack has never been more important. Hear from Horicon Bank how they have positioned themselves to grow using the Total Expert platform.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: The power of discussion
Healthy debate helps us achieve an outcome where we’re all pushed to think beyond what might be readily in front of us.
Lindsay LaNore: Managing remote employees
As life settles into a new rhythm, you may find that some team members continue working remotely permanently or shift to a hybrid model. What are some best practices for managing this new...
Charles Potts: Being comfortable with discomfort
We live in unprecedented times, filled with new challenges and opportunities for small businesses. Fortunately, community banks have greater access than ever before to advanced solutions and...
Aaron Stetter: Start planning for August recess
With the congressional summer break right around the corner, now is the time to connect with legislators in their home districts and advocate for the issues important to community banks.
Unexpected allies
Meeting serendipitously at a ThinkTECH Accelerator showcase, Fintel Connect and Finzly prove that the best relationships allow both partners to complement each other’s strengths.
Out of Office: Tyrone Beatty
After becoming a fan of The Great British Baking Show, Tyrone Beatty, assistant branch manager at $2.3 million-asset 1st Security Bank of Washington in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., added baking to his...
These Asian-American led banks are helping their communities
May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month—and these Asian American-led community banks are adding to that heritage every single day by helping bring dreams within reach.
Out of Office: Justin Kitzinger
Justin Kitzinger, a private banking officer at $6 billion-asset Bankers Trust in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicates 200 hours each year to volunteer firefighting.
Rhonda Thomas-Whitley: Defending overdraft protection for consumers
Overdraft programs and policies are once again in the sights of officials in Washington. ICBA takes on the fight.
Charles Potts: Back-office innovation
Community bankers are embracing innovation like never before—with impressive results. But with so much emphasis placed on customer-facing products and technologies, innovating back-office...
Brad M. Bolton: Educating future leaders
Focusing on the ‘whys’ helps employees see how decisions fit together in a perfect puzzle for high-performing success, and it motivates them to be contributors to that success.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Community bankers are all in
Everything feeds into the customer experience, and that ability to meet and exceed customer expectations is what distinguishes us as community bankers.
Kentucky banks stand tall
After a historic tornado rocked western Kentucky last December, a host of community banks banded together in the spirit of generosity, using their financial power to start relief funds and bolster...
Lindsay LaNore: All in. All heart.
There’s nothing like going above and beyond—but being recognized for it feels pretty great, too.
Charles Potts: Growing small business banking
We live in unprecedented times, filled with new challenges and opportunities for small businesses. Fortunately, community banks have greater access than ever before to advanced solutions and...