Independent Banker Independent Community Bankers of America

Whenever you hear stories from people who have been to ICBA LIVE for the first time, they're just blown away from the atmosphere, from the camaraderie, from that one mission focus … It just makes such an impression that you will never be the same once you come to this event,” says Brad Bolton, former ICBA chairman and president and CEO of Community Spirit Bank in Red Bay, Ala.
 
In March 2024, Orlando plays host to thousands of community bankers looking forward to connecting, learning and pushing the industry forward.
 
Bolton and Lindsay LaNore, ICBA’s senior executive vice president, chief learning and experience officer, join Charles Potts to talk about their experiences at ICBA LIVE and some advice for new and returning attendees.
 
This episode is sponsored by FIS.

Technology is ever advancing, and it’s critical for community bankers to stay ahead of it. According to Dharmesh Mistry of FinTech Futures, a media platform dedicated to global banking and the fintech industry, three of those trends are generative AI, faster payments and the cloud.
 
“2024 can continue to be a transformative year for community banks. Cloud is a way to pursue that to drive down some of the costs, create some more efficiencies,” Mistry says. “It’s not just about pure expense reduction and revenue growth but creating more efficient operations, and I think that's a very interesting and important trend that we should definitely all pay attention to in 2024.”
 
Mistry joins Charles Potts to look at the fintech trends of 2023 and what community banks need to pay attention to as we enter 2024.
 
This episode is sponsored by FIS.
 
The November issue of Independent Banker provides insight on the strides made in AI and other need-to-know technology.

Connection is at the heart of what community bankers do. That’s one of the reasons that the social networking platform ICBA Community was created. And it’s not only creating online connections, it’s helping bankers build relationships with each other outside of the forum.
 
“It's been helpful right now just to have others that you can go to and really connect with,” says Leah Brink, marketing and training director of BankStar Financial and co-lead of ICBA Community’s marketing group. “I've seen examples to where people are reaching out to each other through the through the app, but then they're probably taking some of their conversations offline and direct. And that's, to me, the essence of a good networking group.”
 
This episode, Charles Potts and Brink discuss the positive impact ICBA Community has fostered and how community bankers can make the most out of the platform.
 
This episode is sponsored by FIS.
 
ICBA Community already has over 1,700 members and continues to grow. Join the conversation today. Check out the November issue of Independent Banker for more information on what ICBA Community can help you accomplis

With hundreds of millions of cyberattacks happening each year, it’s critical for community banks to fortify their cybersecurity operations. While it may be tempting to go after the hottest new cyber protections, it’s important not to forget the basics, says Adlumin Inc.’s CEO, Robert Johnston.
 
“If you get the blocking and tackling done correctly, 85% of threats you can take off the table,” he says. “Get that right and you will save yourself a lot of pain from just brilliance in the basics.”
 
It can be daunting to figure out how to best keep your cybersecurity defenses strong, but partnering with a fintech can remove some of the heavy lifting and grant your bank and its customers extra protection and peace of mind.
 
Johnson and James Anderson, VP, information technology manager of Kitsap Bank in Port Orchard, Washington, talk to host Charles Potts about the cyberthreats community banks should look out for and how to prevent and mitigate them.
 
Independent Banker podcast is sponsored by FIS and this episode is sponsored by Adlumin Inc.
 
The October issue of Independent Banker features tips and guidance on what you need to know about cybersecurity today. Partnering with a fintech can help your community bank optimize its cybersecurity operations and practices. ICBA’s ThinkTECH Accelerator is a great place to start.  

AI technology is growing exponentially. While it can bring many advantages to community banks, some bankers may have concerns about possible security issues. So, why take the risk if your bank is performing well? BAC Community Bank in Stockton, Calif., which worked AI-specialist fintech Agent IQ, was able to develop a thorough understanding of the technology and create better systems that benefited both staff and customers.
 
“We weren't really trying to solve a problem,” says Jackie Verkuyl, EVP/CFO of BAC Community Bank. “But it gave us this opportunity—that we could have better communication, a better tool, a better process for working with our existing customers.”
 
Dipping your toe into using new AI tools at your community bank can be daunting. But as AI technology develops, so do opportunities for banks to use it to help their staff and customers. Verkuyl and Agent IQ’s CEO and president, Slaven Bilac, speak with Charles Potts about how they work together and what new developments in AI mean for community banks.
 
This episode is sponsored by FIS

“I think when you’re looking to buy any kind of a product, a data product,” says Kim Snyder,
CEO of the fintech KlariVis, “you need to make sure that the vendor that you’re purchasing it
from understands your industry and understands how that technology is going to be utilized in
your industry.”

Finding the right fintech for your community bank takes time, but Snyder and Alice Frazier,
president and CEO of Bank of Charles Town, worked to create a partnership that has proved
invaluable for both parties.

Our two guests join Charles Potts to talk about the importance of budgeting for innovation, tips
for doing so, and why innovation doesn’t always mean technology.
This episode is sponsored by FIS.

Links: 
You can see how three CFOs are planning innovation for their community banks in the
August issue of Independent Banker.


ICBA’s ThinkTECH Accelerator can help you find and connect with fintechs to utilize new
technology within your own community bank.