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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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The benefits of offering virtual advisor services

Spurred by social distancing and shutdowns during the pandemic, many community banks turned to virtual financial advisory services, and these new practices are expected to stick around.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker   Payments 

Community banks’ guide to FedNow resources

The time has come for the long-awaited FedNow launch. As community banks navigate this process, there are plenty of resources available to answer questions and provide guidance.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Excel Disasters: 5 spreadsheet mistakes that cost billions

SPONSORED | Learn how your team can fight the hidden danger lurking between the columns: human error.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Market your community bank with first-party data

Customer data fuels efficient and effective marketing these days. Community banks own an enviable amount of data, but not all are leveraging it to its fullest extent.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker   Growing the Community 

ICBA's Terry Jorde has eyes to the horizon

Terry Jorde didn’t originally plan on entering the community banking industry. But with a fortuitous move to North Dakota, she worked up from teller and bookkeeper to an industry leader. As Jorde, ICBA chief of staff, prepares to retire, she and her colleagues reflect on her journey.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Crafting a marketing plan when a community bank merges

There are so many factors that community bank marketing teams need to consider following a merger or acquisition. How can they ease customers’ anxiety? How does employee satisfaction affect customer retention? We spoke to experts and community bankers on how to market during a merger.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker   Growing the Community 

New ICBA chairman Derek Williams’ commitment to community

Derek Williams, president and CEO of Century Bank & Trust in Georgia, is bringing his passion for community banking to his term as ICBA chairman for 2023/24.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Getting Started with Faster Payments and FedNow

Your customers are demanding faster payments and the ability to provide it to them creates a big win for your bank. PCBB's insights paper, Getting Started with Faster Payments and FedNowSM, helps you prepare for faster payments and explores FedNow as an option.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker   Payments 

New Guide Helps Banks Make Informed Cannabis Lending Decisions

SPONSORED | Cannabis-related businesses are actively seeking bank lending, while bankers are increasingly viewing these customers as a source of new earning assets. By understanding the risks of lending to this industry, bankers can make informed decisions and gain financial rewards.
March 01, 2023 | Independent Banker   Cannabis banking Lending 

Rebeca Romero Rainey: Authentic connection

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.
February 25, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Special-purpose nonbank Custodia continues push for Fed master account

Custodia Bank is reportedly continuing its effort to procure a master account with the Federal Reserve after the special-purpose depository institution was denied last month.
February 21, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Federal Reserve 

Report on cross-border settlements could influence CBDC debate

The Bank for International Settlements issued a report to help central banks extend operating hours for real-time gross settlement systems to reduce delays in cross-border payments settlement.
February 21, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Digital Assets 

OCC updates change-in-control booklet

The OCC issued a revised version of the “Change In Bank Control” booklet of the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual.
February 21, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

Independent Banker Podcast: Fighting the Good Fight — with Anne Balcer

February 15, 2023 | Independent Banker   Advocacy 

Waller warns banks of crypto risks while PayPal pauses stablecoin work

Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said banks engaging with crypto customers should be “very clear” about the customers’ business models, risk-management systems, and corporate governance structures to ensure the bank is not left “holding the bag if there is a crypto meltdown.”
February 13, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Digital Assets 

OCC’s Hsu: Herfindahl-Hirschman Index review on the table

Prepared remarks from Acting Comptroller of the Currency Michael Hsu reiterated his push for regulators to review federal frameworks for bank mergers.
February 13, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today  

ICBA to FDIC: Exercise duty to deny ILC applications

ICBA called on the FDIC to deny pending deposit insurance applications from industrial loan companies, citing the outsized risks ILCs pose to the Deposit Insurance Fund, financial stability, and consumers.
February 13, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Lending 

ICBA urging letters to Congress on 2023 priorities

ICBA is calling on community bankers to advocate top policy priorities for the new 118th Congress in direct messages to lawmakers.
February 13, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Advocacy 

ICBA Urges FDIC to Exercise Statutory Duty to Deny Pending ILC Applications

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today called on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to deny pending deposit insurance applications from industrial loan companies, or ILCs, which present outsized risks to the Deposit Insurance Fund, financial stability, consumers, and taxpayers.
February 10, 2023 | Press Release   Lending 

ICBA’s Bolton: ‘Regulatory blind spot’ shows risks of credit union bank purchases

ICBA Chairman Brad Bolton wrote in a new op-ed that the nation’s chief credit union regulator recently hinted at one of the problems with the growth of credit union acquisitions of community banks: the threat to U.S. cybersecurity.
February 09, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Credit Unions 

ICBA’s State of the Union ‘junk fee’ response makes news

ICBA’s response to President Joe Biden’s comments on “junk fees” during Tuesday’s State of the Union address made headlines.
February 09, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Credit Cards 

ICBA urges committee to enhance data privacy bill

ICBA expressed support for provisions of legislation designed to improve consumer privacy and data security accountability for more entities that handle consumer data.
February 09, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Data Security/Fraud Privacy 

New polling indicates consumer opposition to Durbin Amendment expansion

The Electronic Payments Coalition released new polling conducted by Morning Consult indicating that consumers across all income levels are benefiting from credit card rewards to help make ends meet during uncertain economic times.
February 09, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Interchange Lending 

CFPB issues guidance on digital mortgage platforms

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued an advisory opinion to prevent digital mortgage comparison-shopping platforms from illegally referring borrowers to only lenders paying referral fees.
February 08, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

OCC updates booklet on branch closings

The OCC issued the “Branch Closings” booklet of the Comptroller’s Licensing Manual. The revised booklet replaces the booklet of the same title issued June 2017, makes corrections where necessary, and contains updated guidance.
February 08, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

ICBA to Fed: Consider Impact of Climate Risk Management Proposals

ICBA today said it appreciates that the Federal Reserve Board tailored its proposed climate risk management framework to institutions over $100 billion in assets, though the association expressed concerns about the impact of such proposals for community banks.
February 07, 2023 | Press Release   Climate 

ICBA Rejects President Biden’s Misleading Remarks on ‘Junk Fees’ During State of the Union Address

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
February 07, 2023 | Press Release   Overdraft Services 

FDIC issues update on amended HMDA threshold

The FDIC issued a Financial Institution Letter on changes to the loan-origination threshold for reporting Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data on closed-end mortgage loans following a recent court decision. The OCC previously issued a similar bulletin.
February 06, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

Politico spotlights ‘powerful’ ICBA push for crypto oversight

ICBA’s push for policymakers to rein in the crypto industry as part of its agenda for the 118th Congress made headlines in Politico.
February 06, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Digital Assets Technology 

SEC rethinking climate disclosure proposal: report

The Securities and Exchange Commission is considering “softening” its ICBA-opposed proposed rule to institute climate-related investor disclosures, according to The Wall Street Journal.
February 06, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Climate 

House, Senate committee hearings underway this week

The House and Senate’s banking committees this week are scheduled to host their first hearings of the 118th Congress.
February 06, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Capital Small Business Lending 

ICBA requests clarity on HUD appraisal guidance

ICBA called on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to clarify lender obligations under draft guidance on borrower requests for Reconsideration of Value, or ROV, of appraised properties for Federal Housing Administration single-family loans.
February 06, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Mortgage Lending 

FHA Single Family Housing Policy Feedback: Single Family Mortgagee Letter - Borrower Request for Review of Appraisal Results

ICBA called on the Department of Housing and Urban Development to clarify lender obligations under draft guidance on borrower requests for Reconsideration of Value, or ROV, of appraised properties for Federal Housing Administration single-family loans.
February 03, 2023 | News   Mortgage Lending Housing Finance/GSEs 

Proposal would require banks to verify U.S. Treasury checks

The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service issued a proposed rule to amend its regulations governing the payment of checks drawn on the U.S. Treasury.
February 03, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

ICBA: CFPB credit card proposal misrepresents community bank model

ICBA raised concerns with a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed rule on credit card late fees and the bureau’s mischaracterizations of community bank credit card lending.
February 02, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Credit Cards 

Fed raises interest rates 25 basis points

The Federal Open Market Committee raised the federal funds rate target by 25 basis points to a range of 4.5% to 4.75%.
February 02, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Federal Reserve 

OCC issues bulletin on amended HMDA threshold

The OCC issued a bulletin on changes to the loan-origination threshold for reporting Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data on closed-end mortgage loans following a recent court decision.
February 02, 2023 | ICBA NewsWatch Today   Compliance 

ICBA: Credit Card Proposal Raises Questions About CFPB’s Recognition of Community Bank Business Model

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on today’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed rule on credit card fees for late payments.
February 01, 2023 | Press Release   Compliance Credit Cards Community Bank Awareness 

Listen Up: Talent recruitment and retention

Is there a strategy or method to recruiting and retaining talent? In episode 3 of the Independent Banker podcast, community banker Kim Kirk and fintech insider Tommy Marshall discussed today’s competitive job market and explained how they attract and keep skilled employees in a highly competitive job market.
February 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

Out of Office: Brian Dowers

Since 2009, senior vice president and chief operations officer of $700 million-asset Fountain Trust Company in Covington, Ind., has made several long-distance motorcycling trips across the U.S.
February 01, 2023 | Independent Banker  

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