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Partnering for Innovation During the Pandemic
Partnering for Innovation During the Pandemic Community banks had to beef up what they had in place and get creative to adequately address how to serve their customers amid a shutdown. And as the...
SBA Issues New Guidance on PPP Lending
SBA Issues New Guidance on PPP Lending The Small Business Administration last night issued two interim final rules on Paycheck Protection Program requirements. The Small Business Administration...
Cybersecurity in the time of COVID-19
Cybersecurity in the time of COVID-19 During the pandemic, three types of attacks and scams have risen sharply, and bankers should anticipate seeing more of these threats throughout the pandemic’s...
PPP Successes: Fintech Partnerships that Work
PPP Successes: Fintech Partnerships that Work Launching a new lending initiative during a pandemic was a challenge in itself, but add in closed branches, remote customers, and government...
ICBA Strengthens Commitment to Community Bank Innovation
ICBA Strengthens Commitment to Community Bank Innovation Innovators see the world not as it is today but how it can be, which is why ICBA has pledged a three-year commitment to its ThinkTECH...
SBA Issues Needed Guidance on Processing Fees, Form 1502
SBA Issues Needed Guidance on Processing Fees, Form 1502 The Small Business Administration just released long-sought guidance on submitting the initial SBA Form 1502 for Paycheck Protection Program...
Tell the Senate to Pass PPP Reforms
Tell the Senate to Pass PPP Reforms With the Senate considering Paycheck Protection Program reforms after the House passed its reform bill last week, now is the time for community banks to urge...
Feed your focus
Feed your focus When I really need to focus, I’ve noticed the process usually starts with decluttering both my mind and my environment. I love the quote, “Starve the distractions. Feed your focus.”...
Community Banks Continue to Respond to Small Business Needs
Community Banks Continue to Respond to Small Business Needs Literally overnight — the night of March 26 — community banks answered the call to support small businesses fighting to...
Mapping out career paths
Mapping out career paths Given today’s competitive labor market and rising employee expectations, finding the right talent for your bank can be challenging. So, why not look internally and focus on...
Falls Fintech: A Case Study in Launching a Bank-Based Accelerator
Falls Fintech: A Case Study in Launching a Bank-Based Accelerator Central Payments, the payments arm of the $238 million-asset Central Bank of Kansas City (CBKC) never imagined that a few days into...
Continuing the ThinkTECH Accelerator Journey
Continuing the ThinkTECH Accelerator Journey Growth is the synthesis of change and continuity, which is why we recently kicked off its application period for our third ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator...
SimplyBank’s Take on Fostering Community Bank Innovation
SimplyBank’s Take on Fostering Community Bank Innovation In an environment where innovation needs to be continual, how can community banks succeed? Blake Swafford, senior innovation officer at...
Energy and influence
Energy and influence Academic studies have shown that making yourself smile can actually boost your mood and that a warm smile can help convince other people of your competence. Smiling is also...
A summer reading list for leaders
A summer reading list for leaders Summer is approaching rapidly, and it’s often the best time to catch up on reading. So, here are some suggestions for great books to hone your leadership skills....
How Community Banks Can Lead in Weathering Natural Disasters
How Community Banks Can Lead in Weathering Natural Disasters The coronavirus pandemic, hurricane season, and the wildfires on the West Coast, stand as prudent reminders of how critical disaster...
Using Payments to Attract and Retain Gen Z Customers
Using Payments to Attract and Retain Gen Z Customers Community banks have long served the small-business market, but given the pandemic impact, new opportunities have emerged to support these...
Cryptocurrency Primer for Community Banks
Cryptocurrency Primer for Community Banks Bitcoin’s market cap is larger than the economies of some of the world’s smaller nations. The prices of popular cryptocurrencies continue to soar to new...
Community banks earn victories with stimulus advocacy
Community banks earn victories with stimulus advocacy Community bankers have hit the ground running this year with another round of Paycheck Protection Program lending, Economic Impact Payment...
Will Google’s latest changes prompt banks to rethink customer acquisition?
Will Google’s latest changes prompt banks to rethink customer acquisition? If you don’t know what third party cookies are, you’re in luck. They’re on their way out. But you’re not completely off...
Community Bank Demand for Innovative Solutions Surging: ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2021 Records Three-Fold Increase in Bank Participation
Community Bank Demand for Innovative Solutions Surging: ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator 2021 Records Three-Fold Increase in Bank Participation After 12 fully immersive weeks and hundreds of meetings...
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Primer
Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) Primer As you know, there are currently two forms of central bank money in America: paper currency and money held by institutions on deposit at the Federal...
Policymakers Share Plans to Support Community Bank Innovation at ThinkTECH Summit
Policymakers Share Plans to Support Community Bank Innovation at ThinkTECH Summit In a time of ambiguity, you take notice when there’s unilateral consensus, as was the case at last month’s...
How My Bank’s Team Delivered and Received Value from the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Experience
How My Bank’s Team Delivered and Received Value from the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Experience Last year I flew to Little Rock, Ark. to participate in the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program and...
A Fresh Focus on Innovative Solutions for Community Bank Back-Office Operations
A Fresh Focus on Innovative Solutions for Community Bank Back-Office Operations ICBA and The Venture Center gave particular attention to identifying innovative back-office solution providers for...
Digital Dollar Digest: What Is a CBDC?
Digital Dollar Digest: What Is a CBDC? Countries are racing to create central bank digital currencies, or so it appears from the constant stream of reports, articles, and speeches by officials....
Crypto Chronicles: What is a stablecoin and what do community bankers need to know?
Crypto Chronicles: What is a stablecoin and what do community bankers need to know? Since its debut, Bitcoin has experienced spectacular fluctuations in value. While some accept the risks that come...
Employing Financial Literacy as a Tool to Attract Gen Z Bank Customers
Employing Financial Literacy as a Tool to Attract Gen Z Bank Customers Generation Z already outnumbers millennials and baby boomers and in a matter of years they’ll become the most financially...
Regulators Discuss the Future of Community Bank Innovation at Fintech Symposium
Regulators Discuss the Future of Community Bank Innovation at Fintech Symposium Community banks’ focus on next-generation digital solutions was on full display during a recent symposium hosted by...
Operational risk resources to help community banks stay secure amid cyberattacks
Operational risk resources to help community banks stay secure amid cyberattacks In the wake of the high-profile cyberattacks on SolarWinds and Colonial Pipeline affecting national security and the...
How Community Banks Can Continue to Fight Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse
How Community Banks Can Continue to Fight Elder Financial Exploitation and Abuse The past year has been a trying time for our nation, particularly for America’s elderly population who were...
Crypto Chronicles: Agencies Coordinate Crypto Approach Amid Ransomware Escalation
Crypto Chronicles: Agencies Coordinate Crypto Approach Amid Ransomware Escalation In the past several months, bad actors have escalated their attacks against critical infrastructure and industries....
Digital Dollar Digest: Catalysts for Exploring a Central Bank Digital Currency
Digital Dollar Digest: Catalysts for Exploring a Central Bank Digital Currency What is galvanizing the world market to pursue central bank digital currencies? The factors are varied. In this...
Community Bank Guide to Managing Core Processor Relationships
Community Bank Guide to Managing Core Processor Relationships For community banks looking to strike a balance between high-touch services and high-tech capabilities, selecting the right technology...
Enhancements Community Banks Can Make To Improve Email Deliverability and Defend Against Phishing
Enhancements Community Banks Can Make To Improve Email Deliverability and Defend Against Phishing To better protect their institutions and customers from email scams, community banks can make...
The Problem with Public Banking
The Problem with Public Banking While community banks have again proven their importance to local communities as Paycheck Protection Program leaders, public banking proponents in some states and...
Crypto Chronicles: Bitcoin 101 for Community Bankers
Crypto Chronicles: Bitcoin 101 for Community Bankers The payments industry is abuzz with excitement as one topic continues capturing headlines, with profound implications for community banks:...
Three Ways Community Bankers Can Increase Their Innovative Thinking
Three Ways Community Bankers Can Increase Their Innovative Thinking According to the 2020 Global Innovation Barometer from GE, COVID-19 had a significant downward influence on innovation. However,...
ICBA Polling on Strong Community Bank Favorability Fuels Successful Capital Summit
To support community banker meetings with policymakers on top industry issues, ICBA released new polling data affirming the industry’s strong public favorability at the state and national levels.
Expanding Interchange Price Controls Would Put Fraud Protections at Risk
Maintaining strong risk-mitigation technologies has never been more important for the banking industry, but “big box” merchant lobbyists are attempting to disrupt advances in card fraud mitigation...