ICBA Newsroom
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.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: Battling the Many Faces of Fraud, Together
“When community bankers alert their peers to a new type of fraud or a rise in a particular form of attack, they empower the community to act.”
October 01, 2025 |
News
Out of Office: Brad Henion
The executive vice president and chief lending officer at $4.4 billion-asset ChoiceOne Bank in Sparta, Michigan, has trained hunting dogs for decades.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Balancing Innovation & Cost Control: A Community Banker’s Guide
SPONSORED | IBT Apps' newest ebook is available! Shopping for new technology can often feel like a lose-lose situation. With this guide, you’ll learn how to innovate smarter and spend wiser. A high-level, must-read for bank executives, operations, finance, and technology leaders.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Payments
Powering Potential: How ICBA's Letters Influence Congress
When a member of Congress introduces a bill that would affect the community banking industry, ICBA analyzes its implications, provides guidance and begins putting pen to paper. Here’s how ICBA uses letters to try to influence Congress.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Advocacy
The Key to People-Focused Insurance Strategies
People make mistakes, but insurance can help ensure the bank doesn’t foot the bill for them.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Mickey Marshall: Why National Trust Bank Charters Sparked a Growing Policy Fight
Fintech and crypto firms continue to seek out trust charters for deposit-like products,
raising policy questions and competitive risks for community banks.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Advocacy
Patriots Bank Goes Pink to Fight Breast Cancer
Patriots Bank launched a special debit card to generate emotional and financial support for breast cancer patients, and it has generated over $20,000 so far.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Fighting Fraud with Tech and Training
Community banks have to take a heavy hand when it comes to fraud. Amid both high-tech and check fraud, these banks are encouraging a watchful eye through technology and education.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
How Each Bank Department Contributes to a Core Conversion
Core conversions are a huge undertaking, which is why every bank employee, from IT to HR, plays a critical role in the transition.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Payments
The Secret to Engaging Customers Through Podcasts
With the popularity of podcasts, these community banks are riding the sound waves. Learn how they plan and produce episodes and build up engaged audiences.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
Bank of the Pacific Strikes Up Support for a Local Nonprofit
In March, Bank of the Pacific in Aberdeen, Washington, sponsored the Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser for Friends of the Children Portland.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Specialty Lending That Strengthens Communities
Community banks continue to be the engines of their local economies. Doing what they do best, these three community banks offer financing in specialty areas for organizations that contribute to the well-being of their served markets.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Lending
Tackling Familiar Cyber Threats with Smarter Tools
Cyber attack methods remain the same, but they’re being supercharged by AI and other technological capabilities. Learn how your community bank can fight back using tools and education that are evolving, too.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Payments
What Role Do Wealth Managers Play Amid Economic Uncertainty?
Community banks that offer wealth management can play a notable role in easing customers’ anxiety amid economic and financial uncertainty.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
How Bridge Loans Can Bolster Your Mortgage Offerings
In a complex real estate environment, these community banks are providing bridge loans and other offerings to supplement their mortgage services.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Lending
FHFA Updates Enable Faster, Fairer Mortgages
The Federal Housing Finance Agency announced updates that it says are designed to deliver more efficiency, cost savings and a fairer appraisal process for borrowers and lenders alike.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
MainStreet Bank Empowers the Community, One Employee At a Time
Through its Making Change program, MainStreet Bank implores its employees to engage in and contribute to community work.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Jack E. Hopkins: Employing a Multilayered Cybersecurity Approach
“We address cybersecurity from day one; our new employee orientation includes cyber training.”
October 01, 2025 |
News
Jim Reber: The Rule of Three
Bond portfolio yields are at multiyear highs.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Growing the Community
Jacob Eisen: Playing Offense in Today's Fraud Environment
They say the best defense is a good offense, and with payments fraud, nothing rings truer. A proactive fraud strategy is a necessity.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
Scott Anchin: Keeping Up with Instant Payments Fraud
With instant payments becoming more mainstream, there are more opportunities for fraud.
October 01, 2025 |
News
Compliance
ICBA Certification Q&A: Susan McLaughlin
Susan McLaughlin is assistant vice president, auditor and financial reporting analyst at Merchants National Bank in Logan, Ohio. As a certified community bank internal auditor (CCBIA), McLaughlin shares how internal auditors play a vital role in community banking.
October 01, 2025 |
News
ICBA Congratulates Travis Hill on Nomination as FDIC Chairman
Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on President Donald Trump’s nomination of Travis Hill to serve as chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
October 01, 2025 |
Press Release
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
ICBA shares Cybersecurity Awareness Month marketing tools
ICBA offers ready-to-use marketing tools that community bankers can use in October via its Marketing Resource Center.
October 01, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
Treasury issues consumer guidance as federal paper checks end
The Treasury Department shared options for consumers who receive federal payments by check as the government officially ceased issuing checks.
October 01, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
CDFI Fund announces first awards of 2025
The Community Development Financial Institutions Fund announced it has awarded 56 organizations $8.8 million in technical assistance awards under the fiscal 2025 funding round.
October 01, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Outdated Positive Pay Leaves Banks Exposed
SPONSORED | Over 90% of banks report rising fraud attacks, yet most remain dissatisfied with Positive Pay adoption—while fintechs win business customers with modern tools. Here’s how community banks can protect accounts, strengthen loyalty, and create new revenue.
September 30, 2025 |
News
Compliance
The New Era of Risk: Why GRC Is a Strategic Imperative
SPONSORED | As governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) challenges evolve, you must adapt. Discover how emerging GRC trends are shaping the future – and how Jack Henry™ can help your stay compliant, resilient, and ready for what’s next.
September 30, 2025 |
News
Compliance Payments
Your Handshake is Your Promise. Less Complexity is Ours.
SPONSORED | Rocket Pro is built for financial institutions that believe home loans shouldn’t feel like an obstacle course. Learn more about partnering with Rocket Pro at rocketpro.com.
September 30, 2025 |
News
Lending
ICBA FDIC should raise reporting requirement threshold
ICBA called on the FDIC to raise the threshold for auditor attestation and reporting requirements under its proposal to adjust and index certain regulatory thresholds.
September 30, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Shutdown would affect SBA USDA programs
Several programs that community banks rely on would be affected by a federal shutdown if Congress can’t agree on a short-term funding resolution before midnight tonight.
September 30, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Congressional Matters Government Banks
ICBA state groups urge broad implementation of ACRE Act tax exclusion
ICBA and its affiliated state community banking associations called on the Treasury Department to ensure an ICBA-advocated tax exclusion passed under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act applies to as many agricultural loans as possible.
September 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Department of Treasury
Revising community bank capital framework a key priority Bowman
Revising community bank capital standards and addressing check fraud are top priorities for the Federal Reserve, Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said.
September 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Former NCUA official calls for transparency in credit union bank acquisitions
A new blog post spotlights the lack of information that credit union member-owners are privy to when their credit union decides to acquire a bank.
September 29, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
ICBA groups request Treasury comment extension on GENIUS Act
ICBA and other groups called on the Treasury Department to extend the 30-day comment period for its advance notice of proposed rulemaking on the implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act.
September 25, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Digital Assets
Cybersecurity coordination law to lapse next week if Congress doesn t act
ICBA continues working with Congress to advance an extension of a law that strengthens public-private cybersecurity coordination before the law expires next week.
September 25, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Cybersecurity
ICBA raises profile of payments fraud at interagency commission meeting
ICBA spotlighted payments fraud trends in a presentation to the Financial Education and Literacy Commission, a statutory commission chaired by the Treasury secretary and comprising the heads of 24 federal agencies.
September 25, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Fraud
Feds prepare for Sept 30 transition from paper checks
The federal government launched an updated webpage with information on its Sept. 30 transition away from issuing paper checks for most federal payments, while the IRS said it will publish guidance before the 2026 filing season begins.
September 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Checks Government Banks
Credit union acquisitions of community banks continue garnering media attention
Credit union acquisitions of community banks received renewed media attention this week with a new article on the largest acquisition so far this year.
September 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Credit Unions
ICBA community bankers meet with banking agencies on core processors
Ten ICBA community bankers and several staff members met with federal regulators to discuss community bank experiences and concerns with core service providers.
September 24, 2025 |
ICBA NewsWatch Today
Agencies/Regulators
Independent Banker
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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