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Julie Bauer: Hotel hero
The assistant vice president of $1.6 billion-asset First Citizens Bank in Mason City, Iowa, is the chair of a local fundraiser that benefits the last remaining Frank Lloyd Wright-designed hotel in...
How to Get Ready for the FedNow Service
The Federal Reserve’s FedNowSM Service is launching in July 2023. Find tips and resources in this article that can support you on your way to instant payments.
Clinton Savings Bank’s animal rescue
Clinton Savings Bank's has supported Animal Adventures, an exotic animal rescue in Bolton, Mass., for more than 25 years. The Bank's recent donation will help the organization continue its mission...
Protect your community bank from business payments fraud
Multiple types of business payments fraud are on the rise. We spoke with experts on how to effectively protect your community bank and its customers.
Jim Reber: Price stability or yield? Here's both
Cash-management instruments have relative value today.
American Commerce Bank's digital-only branch
American Commerce Bank in Georgia recently launched Monesty, a “digital branch” focused on security and customer engagement.
Derek Williams: Charting the course
The core success of community banks stems from how well we meet the needs of the people we serve: our customers, employees, stockholders and communities.
General counsel strategies for community banks
Having general counsel is critical for community banks, but what’s the right balance between in-house and external counsel? Community bankers and legal experts weigh in on how to create the right...
Member Benefits: TCM Bank's suite of credit programs
Need help building or expanding your bank’s credit services? TCM Bank, N.A. can help your community bank grow with a well-rounded selection of personal and business credit cards.
Listen Up: Taking bold and brave action
In episode 6 of the Independent Banker podcast, host Charles Potts speaks with Greg Ohlendorf of First Community Bank and Trust and Joe Ehrhardt of Teslar Software about the digital imperative for...
Charles Potts: Why you need a digital back office
A bank’s innovation investment in back-office automation will deliver a streamlined, digital approach that increases efficiency and enhances front- and back-end experiences.
Lindsay LaNore: You're a new community banker—now what?
Preparation and establishing good habits allow you to optimize your workday—and ultimately your whole team’s productivity.
Strengthening your compliance management program
Wells Fargo was heavily fined for mismanagement of multiple functions, demonstrating the importance of having an effective compliance management system.
Availa Bank offers a different kind of college education
Understanding and seeking out financial assistance is difficult for many families with college-bound children, but Availa Bank alleviates this difficulty through its financial college prep program.
How community banks can minimize tech debt
Keeping old technology can be expensive, in terms of not only cost but also the missed opportunities to offer customers new solutions. The good news is, there are ways community banks can cut...
Rebeca Romero Rainey: A sharing of values
Community bankers know the people and needs behind the business, and that personal connection creates a recipe for mutual success.
Growing SBA lending for small businesses
Community banks are seizing opportunities to grow SBA lending and provide small and minority-owned businesses with capital that would otherwise be difficult to find.
ICBA's top-performing community banks of 2023
Through creativity, local knowledge and dedication to their customers, community banks continued to demonstrate the value of their relationship-based model in the past year.
Mark Scanlan: Speaking out for rural America in the new Farm Bill
The five-year Farm Bill is set to expire later this year. ICBA is lobbying Congress in the reauthorization with six important provisions.
Community mortgage lenders adapt to higher-rate cycles
Mortgage interest rates continue to rise, but community bankers are keeping it all in perspective, applying creativity and strategy to their lending portfolios.
Bulletin Board: A look into ICBA LIVE 2023
Community bankers from across the country gathered in beautiful Honolulu to attend ICBA LIVE 2023. In addition to listening to guest speakers and networking, bankers had the opportunity to learn...
Liz McIntyre: Friend of the flock
The director of social media and VP of marketing at $17 billion-asset Renasant Bank in Tupelo, Miss., delves into the world of birding.
One Community Bank supports the trees
In January, the One Community Bank in Oregon, Wisc., donated $5,000 to the Terrace Tree program, the village of Oregon’s tree planting initiative.
Listen Up: Taking bold and brave action
What does it mean to be innovative? In episode 5 of the Independent Banker podcast, host Charles Potts talks to Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of ICBA, about her passion for community...
Scaling your community bank's core as you grow
As community banks grow, their cores need to, too. We spoke with experts on how to prepare your core for scalability and growth.
Webster Bank's financial literacy
To help the children of low- to moderate-income families, Webster Bank made a $100,000 donation to the Wakeman Boys & Girls Club to aid financial education.
Lindsay LaNore: Crafting a standout job post
Ideas for capturing the attention of the perfect candidate for your position
Are your community bank's BSA/AML programs up to date?
FinCEN recently reported that a bank willfully violated the Bank Secrecy Act, highlighting the importance of community banks updating their BSA/AML programs.
Native American Bank supports Indian country's recovery
Native American Bank secured financing for the construction of a $10 million opioid treatment clinic in North Dakota as just one effort in a series of community projects.
Derek Williams: A relationship-first approach
For years, megabanks have said they would outperform us, that our business models wouldn’t hold. But we are gaining ground instead of losing it, and that all stems from our relationship-first...
Charles Potts: 4 great places to recruit tech talent
Upgrade your community bank's efforts to recruit qualified innovation candidates.
Add text-to-pay to your payments toolbox
When it comes to payments, customers want convenience. With text-to-pay, community banks can help small businesses meet the needs of their customers.
Jim Reber: Performance? Simple
Some of the least complex bonds now have attractive returns.
6 ways community banks can build a better onboarding experience
The first few weeks of an employee starting a new job are pivotal in terms of how they’ll connect to the bank and their role. We spoke with community bankers about how they perfected their...
Aaron Stetter: Return to Capitol Hill
The 2023 ICBA Capital Summit is next month. Here’s a peek at what you can expect from the premier community bank advocacy event.
Meet ICBA's 2023/24 board of directors
With important legislative and regulatory changes on the horizon, the 2023/24 ICBA board of directors is ready to step up for community bankers across the country.
Unity Bank’s fields of gold
Unity Bank volunteers help people facing food insecurity in their community.
How to market your community bank as an employer
In the wake of the Great Resignation, the hiring landscape is tough. Learn how to get the word out about why your community bank is a great place to work.
Community banks putting community first
Community banks do more than meet the financial needs of their customers and communities. They go above and beyond to make a difference in revitalizing, building and serving their communities.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: The importance of outreach
Through national advertising, media relations outreach, social media and more, we will differentiate community banks in the hearts and minds of Americans.
Member Benefits: ICBA's national public awareness campaign
At ICBA LIVE 2023, ICBA announced the launch of its national public awareness campaign targeting millennials, who now present a significant market opportunity for community banks.
Brad Bolton: Keep advocating
I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as chairman. I will continue to advocate for community banking, and for the rest of my career, stand side by side with you to fight our future...
ICBA's Marketing Communications Toolkit
Using ICBA’s Marketing Communications Toolkit, your community bank can tell its story with intention and precision.
Jim Reber: Collateral advantage
A variety of MBS pools can spread your risk.
Out of Office: Natalie Bartholomew
The Northwest Arkansas community president of $2.4 billion-asset First Community Bank in Batesville, Ark., is part of the fifth generation to live on her family farm.
Senator renews push to advance ICBA-opposed credit card routing bill
ICBA is calling on community bankers to voice strong opposition to renewed efforts by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) to force Senate consideration of legislation to advance credit card routing...
ICBA meets with OCC on re-presentment concerns
ICBA leadership community bankers and staff this week met with OCC officials on the agency’s supervisory approach to how banks treat single items that are repeatedly rejected for insufficient funds.
ICBA grassroots campaigns continue with Congress back in Washington
With Congress back in Washington following the August recess, ICBA continues its grassroots campaigns on key advocacy issues.
SEC’s Gensler to Congress: Securities laws apply to crypto industry
Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler told Congress that most crypto tokens and intermediaries are subject to U.S. securities laws despite the industry’s “wide-ranging noncompliance.”
Judge vacates ICBA-opposed CFPB exam manual update
A federal judge vacated last year’s ICBA-opposed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau actions expanding the bureau’s authority to examine banks for discrimination.
FHFA plans stakeholder forums on new credit score models
The Federal Housing Finance Agency said it will hold stakeholder forums and listening sessions in the coming weeks on its plans to transition Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to new credit score models.
ICBA Statement on Swearing-in of Federal Reserve Board Members
Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on today’s swearing-in of members of the Federal Reserve Board.
FS-ISAC spotlights MinIO threat targeting corporate networks
The Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center’s latest weekly risk summary covers an unknown threat actor exploiting vulnerabilities in the MinIO Object Storage system to remotely...
Rakuten credit union application confirmed following ICBA outreach
The National Credit Union Administration reportedly confirmed that Rakuten Inc. has applied for a federal credit union charter after ICBA asked the agency for confirmation.
Barr: Fed program on novel activities will continue to grow
The Federal Reserve’s new program to supervise novel, technology-driven activities in the banks it oversees will continue to grow as new technologies emerge, Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael...
ICBA urges bipartisan response to SBA 7(a) changes ahead of House markup
ICBA and other groups urged the House Small Business Committee to work toward a bipartisan response to recent Small Business Administration changes to its 7(a) loan program.
ICBA rejects Kevin O’Leary’s inaccurate message on bank lending
ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey pushed back against erroneous claims from television personality Kevin O'Leary that banks are not lending to small businesses in the current economic...
ICBA community bankers discuss navigating challenges in new video
ICBA leadership community bankers discussed the vital role of community banks in a video discussion with the Travillian executive search and talent advisory firm.
Chopra: CFPB’s 1033 proposal coming next month
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau next month will propose standards for sharing consumer financial data, CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said.
Community bank net income rises 3.4% in Q2
Community banks reported a 3.4% second-quarter increase in net income from the previous quarter and a 0.7% increase from the same period a year ago, according to the FDIC’s latest Quarterly Banking...