November 9, 2021

The pandemic has brought a lot of change to financial institutions, including how to engage with your borrowers, serve their needs, and drive additional revenue into your bank. For many, this includes looking at partnering with alternative lenders.

Many community banks “graduate” to a different level of scrutiny under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), either through organic growth or by acquiring other financial institutions.

To understand how U.S. consumers view cybersecurity risks, CSI – a leading provider of fintech, regtech and cybersecurity solutions – worked with The Harris Poll to survey more than 2,000 U.S. adults aged 18 and above.

Staffing concerns and getting the necessary data are financial institutions’ biggest challenges when it comes to performing loan reviews, according to a new survey by Abrigo.

Two years ago, I approached Chris Kelley (Barret’s Executive Director) with an idea for a book I wanted to write. My idea was a book on strategy for community banks based on Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. Graciously, he didn’t laugh me out of the office. As most crazy ideas do, it was shelved, but morphed into a podcast series we ran on Main Street Banking occasionally, and, honestly, it received numbers comparable to some of our other content.

The idea of a “beneficiary” initially calls to mind the death of a loved one. For many, it also triggers emotions focused on carrying out the legacy of someone held in high regard. There was a time when the ability to carry out that legacy could be fulfilled over any beneficiary’s lifetime. But times have changed. Carrying out a loved one’s legacy now comes with a deadline for most nonspouse beneficiaries.

On Saturday, Oct. 2, CBA members, friends and family enjoyed the CBA annual tailgate event in Manhattan. It was an exciting fall day with plenty of food, conversation and camaraderie. On behalf of the team and leadership of CBA, we extend our thank you to all who participated and attended – and we truly look forward to hosting events throughout the year to celebrate our shared commitment to Kansas community banking.

As the popular saying goes, “Creativity is intelligence having fun,” – and the same can be said for innovation. As community banks seek to evolve, we bring together the best elements of wise business strategy and out-of-the-box thinking to invent new solutions for a better customer experience. That process, as intense as it can be, is both fun and satisfying because, at its end, we see a product that makes a true difference in the lives of our customers.