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Agencies withdraw principles for climate-related financial risk management
The federal banking agencies announced the withdrawal of interagency Principles for Climate-Related Financial Risk Management for Large Financial Institutions.
New op-ed spotlights data showing harmful impact of credit union acquisitions
A new op-ed from ICBA leadership bankers says public data show why policymakers should examine the impact of federal tax subsidies on credit union acquisitions of community banks.
Federal agencies target transnational cybercrime networks
The Treasury and Justice departments announced several actions against criminal networks responsible for scams and money laundering, including an ICBA-supported final rule targeting the...
Powell: Fed navigating data delayed due to shutdown
While some important government data have been delayed due to the federal government shutdown, available data indicate the outlook for employment and inflation has not changed much since the...
ICBA urges policymakers to support CDFIs
ICBA expressed concerns with actions to dismantle the Community Development Financial Institution Fund following reports of Treasury Department actions to abolish the fund.
FS-ISAC: North Korean criminals using new fraud technique
North Korean threat actors are leveraging a new technique to get victims to click on malicious links, the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center said in its latest weekly risk...
Court sides with Fed to reject master account access from nonbank entities
The United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit sided with the Federal Reserve, ICBA, and other groups by rejecting Custodia Bank’s argument that it should be granted automatic master...
ICBA supports bill to improve deposit insurance system
ICBA expressed support for deposit insurance reform legislation it said is an important start to strengthening the nation’s deposit insurance system that minimizes additional costs for community...
Senate votes down ICBA-opposed amendment to ban interest on reserves
The Senate last week voted against adding an ICBA-opposed ban on interest on reserves to the National Defense Authorization Act.
Community bank innovation: a multipronged approach to stablecoins, AI, and fraud
From the digitization of money with stablecoins to the rise of AI across operations, traditional relationship banking is evolving. ICBA is meeting the moment with a coordinated, multi‑pillar...
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
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...
Flood of national bank trust charter applications demands policy response from OCC
Flood of national bank trust charter applications demands policy response from OCC While the financial services industry continues to rapidly evolve, banking policy often struggles to keep up or...
Community bank innovation: a multipronged approach to stablecoins, AI, and fraud
Community bank innovation: a multipronged approach to stablecoins, AI, and fraud From the digitization of money with stablecoins to the rise of artificial intelligence across operations,...
Mission: Excellence—Are You Ready to Lead?
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 excellence. For the next generation of community bank...
On your marks
On your marks In just a few short weeks, the fixed-income market’s expectations for monetary policy have done a virtual about-face. This is not to say that investors are fickle. Some of this change...
Attract the Next Banking Generation with a Great Credit Card Portfolio
Attract the Next Banking Generation with a Great Credit Card Portfolio Discover how community banks can attract the next generation with TCM Bank’s competitive credit card solutions. As the banking...
How Community Banks Can Compete with Major Credit Card Issuers
How Community Banks Can Compete with Major Credit Card Issuers In today’s credit card market, community banks face significant competition from the major credit card issuers. However, with a...
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...
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
The Key to People-Focused Insurance Strategies
People make mistakes, but insurance can help ensure the bank doesn’t foot the bill for them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Powering Potential: How ICBA's Letters Influence Congress
Here’s how ICBA uses letters to try to influence Congress.
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.
Balancing Innovation & Cost Control: A Community Banker’s Guide
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,...
The New Era of Risk: Why GRC Is a Strategic Imperative
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,...
Outdated Positive Pay Leaves Banks Exposed
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...
Jack E. Hopkins: Employing a Multilayered Cybersecurity Approach
Cybersecurity keeps me up at night.
Your Handshake is Your Promise. Less Complexity is Ours.
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.
A CRA partnership case study
A CRA partnership case study Under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), partnerships between minority- and majority-owned banks can prove beneficial for all parties. Here’s how two banks came...
Giving MDIs and CDFIs a much-needed boost
Giving MDIs and CDFIs a much-needed boost ICBA has a long-standing commitment to Minority Depository Institutions and Community Development Financial Institutions. They play a crucial role in...
Jim Reber: What’s next for investments
Looking to make changes to your investments this year? Bond opportunities abound in 2021.
Revealed: ICBA’s best-performing community banks 2018
Our annual coast-to-coast roster of high achievers is here! Read on to see the 75 community banks that made the cut, and hear from nine we’ve highlighted for their consistent high performance and...
ICBA Certification Q&A: Susan McLaughlin
As a certified community bank internal auditor (CCBIA), Susan McLaughlin shares how internal auditors play a vital role in community banking.
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.
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.
Safeguarding Borrower Data
The HPPA curbs trigger leads and reinforces the trust at the heart of community banking.
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.
Digital Banking for the Modern Age
For community banks, digital transformation has moved from an industry colloquialism to a punch list reality.
Scott Anchin: Keeping Up with Instant Payments Fraud
With instant payments becoming more mainstream, there are more opportunities for fraud.
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.
Jim Reber: Whole lotta thinkin’ going on
I hope the readers of this column will excuse the lack of decorum in the title, but in reading and listening to the words of the Federal Reserve Board’s members over the past month, I hear a lot of...
Jim Reber: Manage Interest Rate Risk With Strategic Portfolio Decisions
Yield curve shape reflects bond market’s mood.
Online Course Newsletter June 2025
Online Course Newsletter June 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...
ICBA to OCC: Avoid One-Size-Fits-All Climate Principles
ICBA applauded the OCC for tailoring its proposed climate-related financial risk management principles to banks over $100 billion in assets, though the association expressed concerns that examiners...
At Halfway Point of 2025, ICBA Marks Significant Advocacy Successes
On the heels of our recent Capital Summit, in which hundreds of community bankers traveled to Washington to meet with policymakers, it is worth pausing to reflect on our successes as well as the...
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...
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.
All Eyes on Stablecoin: Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies
With the recent stablecoin surge raising risks for consumers and the financial system, regulators and Congress are increasingly concerned about the risks these digital currencies pose.