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The ICBA Newsroom collects and centralizes all the NewsWatch Today articles, press releases, Main Street Matters blogs, advocacy letters and other news that impacts community bankers.

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Growth Goals: Navigating IPOs and OTC Trading

Is your community bank thinking about launching an initial public offering or over-the-counter trading of stocks to raise liquidity? The rewards could be great—but both options come with extra regulatory requirements and costs. Careful consideration is critical.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker   Growing the Community 

2025 Lending Outlook: Cautious Optimism

Falling interest rates are expected to fuel borrowing activity at community banks. We examine the prospects for commercial, consumer/mortgage and ag lending in the new year.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker   Lending 

4 Regulatory Developments Coming in 2025

Community bankers have a variety of new regulatory changes to prepare for in 2025, across agencies and banking functions. As always, forewarned is forearmed.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker   Advocacy 

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. We surveyed community bank presidents and CEOs about their plans for 2025—and found that those plans look very different from our last survey in 2022.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker  

Rebeca Romero Rainey: Nurturing the Community Bank Ecosystem

“Without a doubt, advocacy serves as the most critical piece of our mission in 2025. With a shift in control in Congress and the White House, our focus will be on regulatory relief and proportionate rulemaking.”
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker  

Stearns Bank Lays Groundwork in Minnesota's Hmong Community

Stearns Bank is fostering trust, financial empowerment and meaningful relationships with Minnesota’s sizable Hmong community by establishing a branch in one of their cultural hubs.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker  

How Can Community Banks Ride the Digital Wallet Wave?

Looking to drive card usage and ensure continued deposit recapture? As the use of digital wallets continues to accelerate, here’s how you can participate and benefit from this trend.
January 01, 2025 | Independent Banker   Payments 
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ICBA Applauds Congressional Passage of Funding Bill with Farm Bill, Farm Aid

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement applauding the inclusion of a farm bill extension and a $10 billion farm aid package in the year-end continuing resolution.
December 21, 2024 | Press Release   Agriculture Farm Bill 

TCM Bank Appoints C.J. Littrell as President, Jacob Eisen to Continue as TCM Bank CEO

ICBA Payments, the payments-services subsidiary of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), today announced that C.J. Littrell has been appointed president of its credit card bank, TCM Bank, N.A. Littrell will retain his role as chief operating officer (COO), working closely with Jacob Eisen, who continues as TCM Bank’s permanent CEO. As president and COO, Littrell will oversee the bank’s strategic initiatives, drive operational efficiency, and work alongside Eisen and members of the TCM Bank board of directors to continue strengthening TCM Bank’s partnerships with community banks nationwide.
December 20, 2024 | Press Release  

ICBA encourages grassroots calls on farm aid package

ICBA is urging community bankers to call their members of Congress to urge inclusion of an emergency farm aid package in a final funding bill when Congress approves a continuing resolution, or CR.
December 20, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Farm Bill 

’80s-themed ICBA PAC auction set for ICBA LIVE

ICBA PAC is hosting its 36th Annual Auction Fundraiser on Wednesday, March 12, during ICBA LIVE in Nashville. Tickets for the ’80s-themed event go on sale Friday, Jan. 3.
December 20, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

Agencies adjust CRA asset thresholds

Federal regulators announced the 2025 updated asset-size thresholds used to define "small banks" and "intermediate small banks" under their current Community Reinvestment Act regulations.
December 20, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance CRA 

ICBA urging congressional outreach on spending package’s farm provisions

ICBA is calling on community bankers to contact their members of Congress and urge support for including a farm bill extension and farm aid package in a pending end-of-year funding bill.
December 19, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Farm Bill 

Fed cuts rates by 25 basis points

The Federal Open Market Committee voted to cut target interest rates by 25 basis points due to an easing labor market and inflation moving toward its 2% goal.
December 19, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Federal Reserve 

CFPB targets credit card reward programs

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a circular warning that some credit card companies operating rewards programs may be breaking the law.
December 19, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 

ICBA applauds farm aid package, farm bill extension

ICBA applauded the initial inclusion of a farm bill extension and a $10 billion farm aid package in the year-end continuing resolution before Congress.
December 18, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Farm Bill 

ICBA-advocated trigger leads bill passes Senate

ICBA-advocated legislation that would protect the financial privacy of mortgage applicants passed the Senate by unanimous consent.
December 18, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Congressional Matters 

Romero Rainey: Credit unions should pay taxes—period

Credit unions should pay taxes, as The Wall Street Journal rightly pointed out in a recent editorial, ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey said in a LinkedIn post.
December 18, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Credit Unions 

ICBA urges Congress to pass emergency farm aid

ICBA called on Congress to pass a farm bill extension and a farm aid package in addition to assisting citizens recovering from weather-related disasters.
December 17, 2024 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Congressional Matters 

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Independent Banker is the award-winning monthly member publication of ICBA. Continually rated the best news source by community bankers, IB provides timely, relevant information and insights to help community banks continue to flourish.

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