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How to Build an AI Policy at Your Community Bank
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, whether it’s generative AI, part of your bank’s neural network or both. That’s why having an AI policy is important.
Build a Better Banking App With These 5 Tips
If you want your app to be a cut above the rest and give your customers the ideal experience, take note of accessibility, gamification, demographics and other appealing features.
Drive Efficiency With These 9 Back Office Upgrades
Much of a community bank’s technical success starts behind the curtain: in the back office. By optimizing this area of operations, a bank can run like a well-oiled machine.
Jim Reber and Ron Haynie: Fannie and Freddie 3.0
The Trump administration shows interest in reprivatizing the housing GSEs.
First National Bank: Redefining Retail Banking
First National Bank’s eStore aims for customer convenience, delivering personalized banking through a high-tech customer experience.
ACT Deposit Program Can Help Improve Your Bank’s CRA Rating
Discover a new, innovative way for bankers to boost their CRA rating while enjoying safety and returns for large cash balances.
The Data Advantage: Key Strategies for Community Bank Success
With larger regional banks increasingly viewing community financial institutions as rising competition, the time to tap into your data advantage is now.
Tips for Winning the Retail Banking Game
Technology continues to evolve, and community banks must do the same. To cater to and better support young, tech-savvy customers, these local banks are partnering with fintechs to revamp their...
Streamline Your Bank’s Appraisal and Vendor Management with ValuTrac
Tired of juggling spreadsheets, emails, and phone calls to manage appraisals and vendors? ValuTrac offers a unified workspace that transforms how banks manage their appraisal and valuation processes.
OneUnited Bank Uses Tech to Bridge the Racial Wealth Gap
OneUnited Bank’s AI-powered financial wellness tool is enabling the bank’s customers to make better financial decisions and build generational wealth.
2025 Community Bank CEO Outlook: Balancing Between Deposits and Loans
While the business of community banking is ongoing, a new year is always a good time to take stock of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
How to Balance Human and Machine While Using Chatbots
Community banks’ reputations are built on personal connection. But with an effective chatbot, banks can free up staff to focus on customers’ more complex needs. It just takes effective training.
Charles Potts: Banking and Staffing Gen Z Into the Future
As Gen Z graduates into the full-time workforce, they are looking to community banks as financial partners as well as potential employers.
Strategies for Consumer-Centric Banking: an Exclusive Bud Webinar
Bud Financial has joined community bankers for an Independent Banker webinar where we’ve explored the actions they would take to drive success, revenue and customer engagement.
Tips to Better Bank Vendor Management
The more services you add for customers, the more vendors you’re likely to work with. Managing what could be hundreds of relationships calls for organization and the personal touch.
Gen Z's Top 5 Financial Goals and How You Can Help
Many Gen Zers are now in their 20s, which means they're facing new financial tasks and dilemmas.
How Community Banks Can Build a Better Branch
Bank branch design is more than just aesthetics. It’s what sets the tone for every customer who visits that location.
Charles Potts: Driving Strategy With AI as a Tool
Artificial intelligence has become the buzzword for financial services, but it’s moved beyond just hype.
How Can Community Banks Attract Gen Z Customers?
While youth accounts are a great value-add for parents, younger customers are looking for offerings with a few key characteristics.
Rethink Your Digital Banking Experience to Retain Customers
Retain customers, enhance efficiencies, and compete effectively by leveraging cutting-edge technology and a powerful digital banking experience.
5 Ways to Make a Good Digital Impression on Your Bank Website
A website isn’t just for location, hours and product information. It’s often a prospective customer’s first view of your community bank.
Tips For Sending Transactions Over The FedNow® Service
By enabling customers to send instant payments via the FedNow® Service versus only receive, banks can gain a faster, stronger ROI.
How Community Banks Can Nurture Relationships With Next-Gen Customers
With the “great wealth transfer” approaching, now’s the time for community banks to plan with individuals passing on their generational wealth and to connect with those who will receive it.
Ease Reporting with Automation
Routine reporting can be time- and paper-intensive—but automation can take mundane tasks off your team’s plate and create all kinds of other efficiencies.
Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust: The Bankers Behind the Screen
Elkhorn Valley Bank & Trust strikes a balance between personalized service and quick convenience with its growing collection of Teller On Demand kiosks.
Charles Potts: Making the Case for Responsible Innovation
The rapid pace of today’s financial services landscape pulls community banks in varied directions. You must balance technology upgrades with budgetary constraints and identify pressing priorities.
CFO Roundtable 2024: Preparation, Perspective, Diligence
This past year has been one of fluctuation for many community banks, amid inflation, rule changes and other uncertainties.
Navigating Compliance in Cannabis Banking
With potential regulatory guidance for cannabis banking on the horizon, these community banks are positioning themselves strongly and safely within this growing industry.
How To Drive Auto Loan Opportunities
By working with local car dealers and using new lending technology, community banks can boost their presence in the auto lending sector.
Charles Potts: Setting the Stage for Banking the Next Generation
In recent years, community bankers have embraced constant change to drive the future of banking.
Securing Your Cloud Banking Network
Cloud banking is rising in popularity. And as with every new technology, community bankers must learn how to limit risk and secure the platform to protect bank customers and their data.
4 CFPB Rules to Watch for This Year
From limitations on fee practices to personal financial data rights, these proposed and final Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rules could have a significant impact on the community bank industry.
Practical Tips for Community Bank Innovation
Innovation doesn’t just happen. It takes forethought, planning and follow-through.
Law Firm Evaluation for Community Banks
Community banks need to maintain a healthy relationship with their legal representatives, especially when it’s through a third party.
ICBA's Best-Performing Banks of 2024
These community banks hit their stride in 2024, and they intend to keep the momentum going with hard work, flexibility and the expertise they've built over their years of service.
Warsaw Federal Bank's Unique Path to MDI Status
Cincinnati-based Warsaw Federal Bank has just become one of the state’s two minority depository institutions, with a focus on bringing banking to the city’s underserved communities.
Banking With Heart: How Community Banks Support Customers' Dreams
In honor of Community Banking Month, here are stories from six banks about how their work helps customers achieve their dreams.
Can Community Banks Benefit from Culture Leadership Positions?
Is culture something that falls into place naturally or something that is cultivated?
Test Driving Community Bank Mobile Banking Apps
With so many mobile banking apps available, a growing number of people are looking to try them out before they sign up. Can community banks give them a “test drive” function to attract more customers?
Jim Reber: Shop Talk 2024
Another conversation with our consummate community banker, Charlie Brown.
How Santa Cruz County Bank's Technology Transforms the Customer Experience
Santa Cruz County Bank has maintained its top rank among local banks by balancing high tech and high touch and elevating the customer above all.
What Makes a Good Manager?
Even though taking on managerial duties often comes part and parcel with a promotion, not everyone is suited to it.
The Status of De Novos Going Into 2024
De novos breathe new life into the banking sector, but activity is still far below its historic highs. That said, a new crop of community banks shows there’s great potential for success.
Jim Reber: Give Credit Where It's Due
Secondary market for whole loans is deep and active.
The Lending Outlook for 2024
A pullback in lending from some institutions creates opportunities for community banks to pick up new customers.
CEO Roundtable 2024: The Year Ahead
With the economic uncertainty that defined most of 2023 showing signs of easing, community bankers are optimistic about the year ahead.
Jim Reber: Pushing the Boundaries
Cost of funds is putting pressure on bond portfolio’s net margins.
How Important Are Brick-And-Mortar Branches?
Despite the growing use of online banking and mobile apps, the branch remains an important part of community banks' retail strategy. But how are these branches changing?
Banking the Nonprofit Way
Helping their communities: It’s the community bank way, but it’s not always done through volunteering. These banks tell us how they support nonprofits in their areas, helping organizations amplify...
How to Successfully Negotiate a Fintech Partnership
Partnering with one or more fintechs can help community banks keep up with the pace of technological development. Community bankers and other experts give us their tips for finding the right fit.
How Community Banks Can Support Self-Employed and Gig Workers
Gig workers and self-employed individuals make up a growing sector of the workforce in the U.S. This group of workers has specific needs when it comes to banking. Here’s how community banks are...
Jim Reber: Don't Discount Discounts
Below-market coupons could be your friends in 2024.
Member Benefits: Tips for IT Outsourcing
For community banks that are considering or are already working with a third-party IT vendor, ICBA’s IT Outsourcing Toolkit has a collection of resources that address the process and considerations.
What Does Pay by Bank Mean for Community Banks?
Now that FedNow has launched, it’s time to put some focus on a new payments form: Pay by Bank.
Jim Reber: Monetary Policy for the WIN
The Fed was battling inflation 50 years ago, too.
Primis Bank Brings Banking to Your Front Door
Inspired by a fateful food delivery, Primis Bank launched V1BE, a banking delivery service that serves both individuals and businesses.
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...