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Online Course Newsletter – October 2025
Did you know there is a Best Practices Guide for LMS Users in the Administration Tab? This document should be distributed to all employees of the bank that are taking courses within the ICBA Online...
Online Course Newsletter – August 2025
Online Course Newsletter – August 2025 Did you know that employee training records within ICBA stay with the employee? This means if an employee worked at another financial institution that...
Online Course Newsletter July 2025
Did you know that the ICBA Online Training Custom Plan allows you to track in-house and third party training inside the Learning Management System? For those of you who subscribe to the Bank...
Online Course Newsletter June 2025
2025-06-24 What’s New On June 2, all HSA and IRA courses were updated with appropriate regulation guidelines and content. On June 23, the two Cyber and Information Security Overview courses were...
Flood of national bank trust charter applications demands policy response from OCC
2025-08-11 While the financial services industry continues to rapidly evolve, banking policy often struggles to keep up or suffers from ill-considered changes that miss the mark....
Community bank innovation: a multipronged approach to stablecoins, AI, and fraud
Wealth-Banner.jpg From the digitization of money with stablecoins to the rise of artificial intelligence across operations, traditional relationship banking is evolving. And ICBA is meeting the...
Digital Banking for the Modern Age
For community banks, digital transformation has moved from an industry colloquialism to a punch list reality.
Strategic Loan Modifications That Work
When a customer gets into trouble with loan payments, a modification is sometimes the easiest way to help them get back on track.
BayCoast Bank Helps Craft a Playhouse Fit for a Princess
In June 2023, BayCoast Bank in Swansea, Massachusetts, joined forces with a network of community partners to create a playhouse for a young girl with life-limiting medical challenges.
Managing Third-Party Fintech Risk
No matter how much effort your community bank puts into compliance, a third party can still put the bank at risk. Learn how to keep partners in check and ensure they’re compliant with regulations,...
Free IT Assessment for Banks—Limited-Time Offer
Banks: Get a free, expert-led IT assessment covering firewalls, MFA, email security, and more. Reduce risk, boost compliance, and plan for growth. Offer ends December 31, 2025. See if you qualify...
Rising Concerns Over National Bank Trust Charters
Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed an alarming upsurge in the number of nonbank financial technology firms applying for national bank trust charters.
Streamlining Social Media for Community Banks
Don’t have a dedicated social media person? No problem. New tools and an inclusive approach make your community bank’s social presence simpler to establish and maintain.
Personalization Strategies, Driven by Community Bank Data
By exploring and analyzing data-driven customer insights, community banks can enhance their personalization efforts to deliver proactive solutions with enhanced trust.
The Anatomy of a Rate-Cut Cycle
Examine the current Fed cycle versus the past to inform portfolio strategy.
Succession Planning Essentials for Family Banks
Creating succession plans for family-owned community banks can be complicated in all sorts of ways.
Evaluating Credit Card Rewards in Modern Banking
Younger generations prefer debit to credit, but consumers’ appetite for card rewards is still strong. Learn how your community bank can integrate rewards as part of its payments strategy.
Safeguarding Borrower Data
The HPPA curbs trigger leads and reinforces the trust at the heart of community banking.
Inviting Questions to Spark Better Conversations
We all know how powerful curiosity can be. Every great leader knows that inviting feedback and questions from their team can be a highly collaborative and productive process.
Wayne Miller: Customer Experience Through Strategic Innovation
Recent research from FICO shows that 88% of bank customers say experience is as important as or more important than products and services.
Making Homeownership Achievable, Together
Prospective homebuyers today might feel like the odds are stacked against them as they face increasing costs, market challenges and other socioeconomic barriers.
Ozark Bank Offers Custom Solutions for Nonprofit Partners
From lease-purchase solutions to crisis support, Ozark Bank shows how tailored financial services help local nonprofits and municipalities thrive.
Strengthening Franchise Value: Community Banks’ Growing Use of Reciprocal Deposits
In an environment where deposit competition is intensifying and customer concerns about deposit safety remain top of mind, reciprocal deposits have emerged as a vital tool for community banks.
Understanding the Opportunities and Concerns for Agentic AI
Here’s what you need to know about the newest form of AI, known as agentic AI.
Up-and-Coming Bank Technology: Separating Innovation from Hype
Community bankers, fintech experts and consultants alike are keeping their finger on the pulse when it comes to the latest technology—with the goal of understanding what’s useful and what’s all hype.
Out of Office: John and Lou Buhrmaster
John Buhrmaster, chief executive officer at 1st National Bank of Scotia in Scotia, New York, shares how he and his father, chairman Lou Buhrmaster, have a unique connection to vintage taxi cabs.
Powering Potential: Maximize Your Social Media Impact
ICBA’s marketing resources, education programs and compliance tools provide community bankers with strategic social media solutions and regulatory guidance to amplify their online presence.
Community State Bank Brews Up Coffee and Community
Community State Bank and Shepherds College united to create Shepherds Community Café, a donation-based coffee shop that fosters occupational experience for students with different needs.
Fraud Moves Fast. Are You Keeping Up?
Fraud flows across entire financial ecosystems. Without a unified approach, you risk operating with the same limited visibility that fraudsters exploit.
Mission: Excellence—Are You Ready to Lead?
Meeting-Square.png Meeting-Banner.png 2025-08-14 Mission: Excellence—Are You Ready to Lead? Every great leader has a moment when they’re called to step up—to lead with clarity, purpose, and...
On your marks
How bond markets react to rate cuts Busy fall ahead ICBA Securities and its exclusive broker Stifel, will attend more than 10 state association events in September and October. We appreciate the...
New Analysis Shows Credit Union Acquisitions of Community Banks Harm the Communities That Can Least Afford It
ICBA and community bankers have long warned about the dangers of tax-exempt credit unions acquiring tax-paying community banks, a concerning trend that peaked last year and has continued in 2025....
Attract the Next Banking Generation with a Great Credit Card Portfolio
Attract the Next Banking Generation with a Great Credit Card Portfolio As the banking landscape evolves, community banks can attract the next generation of banking customers by offering a strong...
How Community Banks Can Compete with Major Credit Card Issuers
How-Community-Banks-Can-Compete_1500x1500.png 2025-08-29 How Community Banks Can Compete with Major Credit Card Issuers In today’s credit card market, community banks face significant competition...
Online Course Newsletter – October 2025
Introduction It’s that time of year again for Standard Plan, Custom Plan, and Bank Compliance Bundle subscribers – Subscription Renewals! Renewal invoices were mailed Oct. 20 so hopefully you’ve...
ICBA Urges OCC to Deny Coinbase’s Application for a National Trust Bank Charter
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) urged the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) to reject Coinbase’s application for a national trust bank charter for its subsidiary,...
ICBA Statement on Bipartisan Deal to Reopen Government
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) issued the following statement on bipartisan Senate efforts to reopen the federal government.
ICBA Statement on CFPB’s New Proposal to Implement Section 1071 Small-Business Reporting Requirements
Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey issued the following statement on today’s updated Consumer Financial Protection Bureau proposed rule to...
New ICBA White Paper Calls on Policymakers to Close Industrial Loan Company Loophole
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today released a comprehensive white paper detailing why policymakers should close a legal loophole that allows industrial loan companies and...
ICBA Urges FDIC to Reject Applications Under Industrial Loan Company Loophole to Prevent Risks to Consumers
ICBA told the FDIC that it has a statutory duty to reject the applications of industrial loan companies (ILCs) that pose undue risks to the Deposit Insurance Fund and that fail to serve the...
FDIC seeking input on AML/CFT compliance costs
The FDIC requested comment on a proposal to survey banks about the costs to comply with the Bank Secrecy Act and related anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism requirements.
Senate confirms Miran for Fed post
The Senate voted 48-47 to confirm the nomination of Stephen Miran to be a Federal Reserve governor.
Miran sworn in as Fed governor
The Federal Reserve announced that Stephen Miran was sworn in as a Fed governor.
ICBA-supported bills slated for House committee markup today
ICBA urged the House Financial Services Committee to vote to advance several pro-community banks bills that the committee is scheduled to mark up today.
FedDetect announces new payment fraud tool
The Federal Reserve announced a new reporting feature for its FedDetect Anomaly Notification for FedACH Services, which helps financial institutions quickly address potential fraud.
FedNow delivering instant payments for disaster relief disbursements
FedNow announced that participants recently started receiving instant disaster-relief disbursements for their account holders.
Fed lowers interest rates by 25bp
The Federal Open Market Committee voted to lower target interest rates by 25 basis points to a range of 4.0% to 4.25%.
ICBA: Supervisory appeals reviewers should have community banking experience
ICBA told the FDIC that in revising the agency’s supervisory appeals process, the FDIC should ensure that reviewers have significant community banking experience.
ICBA Applauds OCC for Announced Updates to Organizational Structure
ICBA today expressed its strong support for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s announcement that it will reverse its ICBA-opposed decision to merge its community, midsize, and large...
House committee advances ICBA-supported bills
The House Financial Services Committee voted to advance five ICBA-supported bills designed to support community banks.
ICBA: AI can help community banks if regulated properly
ICBA told Congress it believes artificial intelligence has the potential to help community banks meet regulatory burdens and expand access to credit, but thoughtful regulation is needed.
ICBA: Community banks lead the fight against fraud
ICBA told Congress that community banks are on the front lines of fraud mitigation and are leading the response but cannot solve the problem alone.
OCC announces ICBA-advocated supervision restructuring
Following ICBA advocacy, the OCC announced it will reverse its ICBA-opposed plan to merge its community, midsize, and large bank supervision functions into a single unit.
ICBA Urges FDIC to Reject Applications Under Industrial Loan Company Loophole to Prevent Risks to Consumers
ICBA told the FDIC that it has a statutory duty to reject the applications of industrial loan companies (ILCs) that pose undue risks to the Deposit Insurance Fund and that fail to serve the...
ICBA urging comments to FDIC on raising regulatory thresholds
ICBA is calling on community bankers to submit comments this week on the FDIC’s proposal to adjust and index certain regulatory thresholds, most notably Part 363 independent audit and reporting...
Fed’s Miran: Interest rates too restrictive
New Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran said the Fed’s target interest rate is roughly 2 percentage points too tight, risking unnecessary layoffs and higher unemployment.
Treasury seeks comments on implementing GENIUS Act
The Treasury Department issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking seeking public comment related to its implementation of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins...
ICBA urges FDIC to reject risky ILC applications
ICBA told the FDIC that it has a statutory duty to reject the applications of industrial loan companies that pose undue risks to the Deposit Insurance Fund and fail to serve the convenience and...
ICBA Community tops 6,000 members
ICBA Community, the exclusive digital network for ICBA members, has surpassed 6,000 members.
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.