ABA Banking Journal Podcast
The ABA Banking Journal Podcast features bank executive insights, unique business strategies, regulatory updates from Washington D.C., and engaging banking stories. It is produced weekly by the American Bankers Association's award-winning podcast team.
Episodes
The birth of American money and how it triggered a revolution
The latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Agri-Access — features historian Andrew David Edwards, author of Money and the Making of the American Revolution. Edwards discusses: How the American colonies developed monetary systems based on temporary "bills of credit" in the absence of hard-money currency. Why British leaders rejected this form of money and attempted to
Creating seamless customer experiences in banking
First Horizon Bank is a growing regional bank that spans the nation's fastest-growing population centers, from Texas to Tennessee to Florida. How does that expanding retail franchise meet consumers' digital needs? On this episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Agri-Access — First Horizon's head of consumer and small business banking Shaun McDougall discusses: How consumer expec
Telling a different kind of story about community banks
John Maxfield has spent 16 studying banking leadership and performance, first at The Motley Fool, then at Bank Director magazine and more recently on his own, creating videos and visuals to tell the story of community banks in new and creative ways (including with drones). On this episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Maxfield discusses: His own family origins in agriculture and banking Wha
Making the jump from a high performer to a high-performing leader
"Leadership is a skill you have to develop and maintain over time," says Velera Wilson. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, leadership keynote speaker Wilson discusses key practices of leadership development for both current and future bank leaders. Among other topics, she covers: How emerging leaders can help themselves succeed in the transition from high-performing individ
Remembering 9/11, a quarter century later
As the nation marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — returning for its ninth season — brings you conversations with two financial industry professionals to help illuminate the impact 9/11 had on bankers, the financial system and the whole nation. ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols was a senior Treasury Department offi
Banking the brave new world of college athletics
The ability to pay college athletes has led to dramatic upheaval in banking college sports. Revenue-sharing with athletes has required big increases in spending that colleges may not have been counting on, just to be competitive. Meanwhile, the revenue shares and name, image and likeness marketing is putting big money in the hands of athletes who need extra support to handle it. On the latest epis
Tactics for meaningful strategic planning
Virtually all banks engage in strategic planning, but how do they ensure the strategic plan actually drives performance and doesn't just get left in a binder on the shelf? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Q2 Software — Exchange Bank's Kevin Bender discusses tactics for making strategic planning a process that engages employees and board members in the future
Why it might be time to revisit a key FDIC ratio
What kind of difference can a single ratio make? In a new ABA DataBank essay, ABA's Patrick Mitchell and Brittany Kleinpaste discuss the FDIC's 2% Designated Reserve Ratio target for the Deposit Insurance Fund. This target — established by statute but set at the FDIC's discretion — is a level higher than the DIF's Minimum Reserve Ratio of 1.35%, and it has been 2% since it was first established i
Understanding the 2025 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Q2 Software — ABA economist Dan Brown discusses the recent release of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 2025. He examines several trends, including the varying composition of bank mortgage loans in different regions, where banks face the stiffest nonbank competition in the mortgage market, a recent rebound in refina
Financing America's independence
To mark the 250th anniversary of Independence Day this week, this classic replay episode of the ABA Banking Journal — sponsored by Q2 Software — explores the role of banking and finance in the American Revolution and the founding era. John Steele Gordon is an acclaimed economic historian whose books include Hamilton's Blessing, The Great Game and An Empire of Wealth; he is also the ABA Banking Jou
Talent and innovation in community banking
Adam Metz, the newly appointed president and CEO of Central Pennsylvania-based Orrstown Bank, joins the ABA Banking Journal Podcast to discuss the bank's strategy and growth, its dedicated innovation group, how the bank is using AI and the bank's client-focused talent strategy.
Understanding bank regulators' guidance on illegal immigration
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA's Heather Trew breaks down recent news about the president's executive order on illegal immigration and the financial system and the advisory from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the OCC, the FDIC and others on red flags associated with illegal immigration. Trew covers: An overview of the executive order and advisory Financ
Creating a feeling of welcome . . . for customers and new bankers
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Texas banker Ryan Coaxum joins the show to discuss how he was welcomed into the banking community as an employee, and how he tries to bring that same feeling of welcome to the people he serves in his job as head of community development and external affairs at Moody Bank. "You want to feel wanted, you want to feel l
How consumer deposits drive full relationship banking
In an environment with higher-yielding options, how can banks compete for effectively for deposits? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Marc Womack, who leads the U.S. consumer deposits franchise at TD Bank, discusses his approach to maximizing data, customizing deposit offerings, developing valuable product bundles and using both physical and digital
How an Ohio banker talks with policymakers about stablecoin issues
As a community bank president and past chair of the Ohio Bankers League, Jenny Saunders has been part of many conversations with top policymakers on bank issues. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Saunders, who recently retired as president of FCBank, discusses how she discussed stablecoin and cryptocurrency issues with members of Congress. "If there'
Tech transformation and AI to power bank growth
Over the past two decades, Pennsylvania-based F.N.B. Corporation has grown its assets from roughly $5.4 billion to $50 billion, grown its net operating income by a similar ratio and more than doubled its retail footprint. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Chairman, President and CEO Vincent Delie discusses his approach to growing the franchise and ho
ABA's ecosystem strategy to tackle fraud
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — a crossover episode with the ABA Fraudcast — ABA's Rob Nichols and Paul Benda provide several updates on ABA's work to reduce the incidence and cost of fraud for bank customers. Among other topics, they highlight: Their recent participation in the United Nations and Interpol Global Fraud Summit. "One of the key messages that I heard loud
Capitalizing on opportunities to serve high-net-worth clients
Several factors — the growth of the U.S. economy and asset prices, generational transitions and changing values — are reshaping the wealth management and financial advice sectors. More individuals and families are falling into the high-net-worth (investable assets of over $3 million) and ultra-high-net-worth (assets of over $30 million) than ever before. How are banks positioned to capitalize on t
Are credit union commercial loans risky business?
In recent years, credit union business lending and the number of credit unions that exceed the statutory cap on member business lending have shot up sharply. What risks do these trends pose to safety and soundness and financial stability? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA's Dan Brown and John Vermillion discuss their recent research on the subject. Not only does outsize
Risk and strategy in sponsor banking
Sponsor banking, or banking as a service, is a unique opportunity for banks — but it requires strategy, discipline and a laser focus on risk. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Amanda Swoverland, president of Hatch Bank, discusses her bank's strategy in BaaS. Among other topics, Swoverland talks about: Hatch Bank's evolution as a sponsor bank focused on embedded lending and
From stablecoin to fraud, top takeaways from the 2026 ABA Summit
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Rob Nichols offers his top takeaways from the ABA Washington Summit — including industry unity on stablecoin regulation, credit card policy challenges, federal preemption, and bipartisan legislation on fraud. Nichols also previews his upcoming travel to Vienna for the United Nations' Global Fraud Summit. Catch sessions from the 2026 Summit
How the SCAM Act would encourage platforms to go after scammers
Major tech platforms make billions of dollars from scammers who advertise on their sites, according to reporting from Reuters, and there's not much incentive for them to change their practices — yet. Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) and Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) have introduced the SCAM Act, which would take steps to tackle these scams. ABA strongly supports the SCAM Act, and on this crossover episode
A new kind of 'community bank' for small businesses
From one location in Wilmington, North Carolina, Live Oak Bank is the nation's largest Small Business Administration lender and a leading partner in developing technology for community banks. With an uncertain economic and business environment, two top executives from Live Oak Bank joined the ABA Banking Journal Podcast to discuss: How Live Oak delivers personalized banking services to a nation
A Lone Star banking perspective
If Texas were an independent country, its economy would rank as the world's eighth-largest. "France is the seventh largest economy in the world and I don't think it'll take as much time at all to catch them," laughs Texas Bankers Association Chairman Ron Butler. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Butler — who is also vice chairman and chief administrative officer of $14 bill
The incredible shrinking penny (circulation)
The discontinuation of penny production in 2025 caused operational challenges for banks when the regional Federal Reserve banks said they would stop accepting pennies for deposit at coin terminals -- accelerating the circulation shortage that's posing challenges for retailers. Today, the Fed reversed that decision, resuming deposits effective Jan. 14. On the latest episode of the podcast, ABA pa
Cybersecurity in a mobile-first banking landscape
The Philippines is a fast-growing economy, but it lags its peers in the unbanked rate, with more than four in 10 Filipinos unbanked, according to McKinsey. Many Filipinos use nonbank-provided ewallets, but bank penetration is on the rise since 2020, when the central bank approved a new license type for digital banking, helping the Philippines' traditional banks meet the mobile-first needs of Filip
The 2026 outlook for bank M&A
The bank consolidation logjam broke in 2025, with several banks, including large regionals, inking major deals amid an accelerated pace for approvals. While that may reflect both pent-up deal flow and a rush to get transactions done in a favorable environment, on the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Paul Davis notes that the rush is forcing everyone in the market to pay atten
The outlook for tech-forward community banking
Jon Sisk and Matt Lujano's banks couldn't be more different at first appearance — Sisk is a top executive at a community bank in Santa Cruz, California, near the beating heart of America's tech ecosystem, and Lujano leads a bank primarily based in a rural area of western Iowa where farming is dominant. But they share a positive outlook on the role of tech in community banking. As chair and vice ch
The Erie Canal at 200
The Erie Canal — one of the biggest milestones of American history — celebrated the bicentennial of its completion this week. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, acclaimed economic historian and Banking Journal columnist John Steele Gordon and editor-in-chief Evan Sparks discuss the canal's development and construction, the involvement of the Savings Bank of New York in fina
Intelligent Origination: Reinventing Lending with AI
Blend's Intelligent Origination — an AI-powered orchestration layer embedded in Blend's platform that reduces the cost of loan origination, improves speed and accuracy, and redefines how lenders and borrowers experience the lending process.
Why branches are top priority for PNC
PNC Bank is the nation's eighth-largest bank by assets and the sixth-largest by deposits, but it ranks fourth in the number of physical branches. In a time when many banks are streamlining their in-person service locations, why has PNC doubled down on branches? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, PNC executive Jeff Martinez explores: The role of branches in marketing and acc
From tractors to drones, how farming tech affects ag lending
With equipment repair costs up 40% over the past few years, how farmers deploy expensive agricultural machinery is of top concern for ag bankers. With equipment increasingly complex and often software driven, many equipment manufacturers have limited the ability of operators to repair their equipment without voiding warranties — leading to delays and lost harvests as farmers wait for service amid
Bigger data boosts financial inclusion at Synchrony
AI and the future of BSA risk management
Banks have been using natural language processing and machine learning applications for years in managing their anti-money laundering and Bank Secrecy Act obligations. But how does the growing adoption of generative AI tools affect how BSA and fraud professionals protect their banks? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Agri-Access — former FDIC official Lisa Arq
The real difference between stablecoins and tokenized deposits
In the wake of the summer's Genius Act, many banks and nonbanks have announced new stablecoin initiatives. Another digital asset — tokenized deposits — may meet needs similar to stablecoins, but the two asset types have significantly different features based on their underlying designs. On this episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA experts Brooke Ybarra and Yikai Wang discuss: The key d
The 'capacity crisis' in leadership today
Princess Castleberry began her career in risk management in financial services, and the biggest risk she sees today is that "leaders are in a capacity crisis." Work experience, education and professional networks are undermined by this lack of capacity driven by emotional triggers, she says, which are in turn compounded by a massive wave of societal, economic and technological change. Now an instr
AI, third-party risk and the future of partner banking
The rapid evolution of the financial services marketplace means the market for banking as a service is also evolving rapidly. From artificial intelligence to other new technologies to regulatory expectations, how is the partner bank sector shifting? On the season premiere of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Pathward Bank CEO Brett Pharr talks about the Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based partner bank'
Demographic trends shaping the U.S. banking outlook
The U.S. is experiencing a massive demographic shift driven by the aging Baby Boom generation, declining birth rates and shifts in immigration trends. What effect will aging have on the banking outlook? In the season finale of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA economist JP Rothenberg discusses how America's aging population: Shifts balance sheet management strategies with a surplus of stabl
How institutional banking helps build one regional bank's strategy
Alongside the commercial and consumer markets, institutional banking is one of three strategic pillars of $70 billion-asset UMB Bank. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, UMB's Phil Mason discusses: How institutional banking — which includes capital markets, corporate trust, custody and health savings accounts — fits into the business model of the Kansas City, Missouri-based
The future of careers in risk and compliance
What does the future hold for bank risk and compliance professionals? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Krysti Cunningham of Security National Bank in Omaha, Nebraska — and winner of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award for Risk and Compliance — discusses: The technological transformation in risk and compliance at community and midsize banks. How technological change is dr
Breaking down the bank-related provisions in the big budget bill
Following the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, hear from ABA experts on how key ABA-supported provisions on tax policy, rural real estate and health savings accounts in the budget reconciliation law will affect banks. Experts also discuss what to expect next in terms of implementation. Resources Click here to download the episode if you can't see the player above. View a members-onl
Inside ABA's new Treasury Check Verification System API
ABA's new online platform to provide members with free access to the Treasury Check Verification System is now live. On a special joint episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast and ABA Fraudcast — presented by Intrafi's Banking with Interest podcast — ABA anti-fraud experts Paul Benda and Hannah Ibberson discuss the platform and how banks can put it to use. Among other topics, Benda and Ibberson
Staying close to clients amid tariff-driven volatility
Amid tariff-related volatility, how are small and midsize businesses and the banks that serve them faring? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Intrafi's Banking with Interest podcast — John Buran, the president and CEO of Queens-based Flushing Financial discusses how tariff and trade policy-related volatility has compounded commercial client uncertainty based on
Old National's Jim Ryan on the things that really matter
Jim Ryan has led Old National Bank through a massive wave of growth — through major mergers and organic growth, the Evansville, Indiana-based bank has reached $70 billion in assets and a footprint that extends from Minnesota to Tennessee. The bank has grown by 250% since Ryan moved into the CEO role in 2019. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Intrafi's Banking
What bankers need to know about 'First Amendment audits'
So-called "First Amendment auditors" have long filmed themselves trying to provoke police and other public officials into stopping them from recording in public settings. Now, some auditors are targeting banks, filming for hours outside bank branches and seeking to goad bank employees into calling law enforcement. The latest episode — presented by Intrafi's Banking with Interest podcast — features
Accelerating banking for quick-service restaurants
As independently owned and operated small businesses, fast-food restaurant franchisees have unique business needs. They have mobile and often part-time workforces, complex inventory management and the constant challenge of managing both a small business and being the face of a major brand. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Bix2x — Wendell Bontrager talks about
How a Georgia community bank supports government-guaranteed lending nationwide
Government-guaranteed lending requires special expertise and back-office functionality that grows increasingly expensive for smaller banks. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Bix2x — Chris Hurn and Jeremy Gilpin of Community Bankshares, a bank holding company in La Grange, Georgia, discuss how they are tackling that challenge. "To start one of these departments
Quantum computing's shakeup in payments, cybersecurity
Quantum computing is an entirely new way of processing information, and it has the power to solve extremely difficult computational problems much more quickly than binary computers. As the technology continues to advance, the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Intrafi's Banking with Interest — explores how payments and banking might be affected by the technology. Amon
Why the Fed paying interest on reserves matters
The payment by the Federal Reserve of interest on bank reserves may sound like an abstruse matter of economic theory, but these payments are critical to bank operations and the Fed's conduct of monetary policy. In the latest episode — sponsored by Intrafi's Banking with Interest — ABA's Jeff Huther discusses why proposals to end or reduce interest on reserves are misguided. Among other things, Hu
Travis Hill on the regulatory agenda at the FDIC
ABA's Washington Summit just wrapped up, and this episode — sponsored by Intrafi's Banking with Interest — features a main stage conversation with Travis Hill, acting chairman of the FDIC. In this episode, Hill discusses: Revisions to the FDIC's supervisory appeals process. Transparency in bank merger reviews by regulators. The future of bank capital policy after the Basel III "endgame." Ethics a
Play ball! Financial education home runs
April is Financial Literacy Month, a time when bankers think creatively about how to engage young people on topics of financial wellness. Citi's Michelle A. Thornhill and Roads to Success's Bashan Fernandez for a discussion of Citi's approach to making financial knowledge fun and engaging. In this episode — sponsored by Intrafi's Banking with Interest — they discuss several innovative approaches,
Breaking down the executive order on Treasury checks
In the wake of this week's significant executive order directing the Treasury to eliminate the use of paper checks for federal government disbursements (and payments to the U.S. government), ABA's Steve Kenneally joins the podcast for a conversation on what's next for the payments system. In this episode — sponsored by nCino — Kenneally discusses: The role of Treasury checks in check fraud scheme
What's next for stablecoin policy and tech
Legislators and regulators are strongly focused on policy related to payment stablecoins, most recently with the passage of the Genius Act in the Senate Banking Committee. On this episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by nCino — ABA's Brooke Ybarra and Kirsten Sutton discuss the current policy and technology landscape on stablecoins. Among other topics, they talk about: How stabl
How mail theft fuels the check-fraud boom
The big story of check fraud is not only its vast cost to the country and to individual victims, but simply the remarkable rate at which it is increasing. On this episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by nCino — we bring you a conversation from the ABA Fraudcast with ABA's Paul Benda and Caitlin Piasecki of the United States Postal Inspection Service the enormous scale and challen
The pinnacle of American politics: The life and career of Charles Dawes, part 2
A century ago, in March 1925, Charles G. Dawes was sworn in as vice president of the United States. Being elected vice president of the United States — as Dawes was, alongside Calvin Coolidge, in a landslide — is usually a career pinnacle for an American politician, but Dawes' vice presidency turned out to be more of a footnote in his eventful life. In the second part of this two-part podcast seri
The rise of a celebrated American banker: The life and career of Charles Dawes, part 1
A century ago, in March 1925, Charles G. Dawes was sworn in as vice president of the United States. Being elected vice president of the United States — as Dawes was, alongside Calvin Coolidge, in a landslide — is usually a career pinnacle for an American politician, but Dawes' vice presidency turned out to be more of a footnote in his eventful life. In the first part of this two-part podcast serie
Bowling 300 on bank policy advocacy
In rural southeastern New Mexico, bank CEO and varsity bowling coach Ken Clayton often takes his team on 500-mile one-day roundtrips for bowling tournaments. For Clayton, that commitment to going the distance is also what community banking is about. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by R&T Deposit Solutions — Clayton discusses what makes community banks like his
How having joint accounts improves couples' relationships
A recent article in the New York Times — "Love and Money: Why Sharing Accounts Is Good for Your Relationship" — explores scholarly evidence for the benefits of couples' combining their bank accounts. The article features the insights of Indiana University marketing professor Jenny Olson, who appeared in 2023 on the ABA Banking Journal Podcast. For a special Valentine's Day episode, we bring back t
The real story on CRE risk management
On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by R&T Deposit Solutions — ABA's Jeff Huther and Sharon Whitaker rebut a false narrative about how banks are managing commercial real estate credit risk. Expanding on a rebuttal to a New York Fed paper, they explore why measures of distress and undercapitalization used by the New York Fed and some in the media are inconsistent wi
One community bank's fight against a mass text scam
Today's episode features a crossover from ABA's brand new podcast series: ABA Fraudcast: Cyber and Fraud with Paul Benda. Community banks can be targets of large-scale fraud, just like larger banks. On the inaugural episode of the ABA Fraudcast, former ABA Chair Dan Robb, president and CEO of Jonesburg State Bank in Missouri, describes the recent targeting of his bank by fraudsters who texted thou
How boards can position their banks to navigate change
From AI and crypto to complex regulatory challenges and increasingly diverse markets, bank executives face increasingly complex strategic decisions — and so do bank boards as they set and oversee the strategic direction for their banks. And yet, the average age of bank directors is 76, and many do not have expertise in these critical challenges affecting banks. On the latest episode of the ABA Ban
The behavioral psychology of the Christmas savings club
In this holiday bonus episode — sponsored by TransUnion — host Evan Sparks digs into the Banking Journal archives to learn more about the "Christmas Club" savings vehicle, and what this financial product says about human psychology and behavioral economics. This episode is presented by TransUnion.
Making the feeling 'mutual' for a new generation of bank customers
"Well, your money's in Joe's house, that's right next to yours. And in the Kennedy House, and Mrs. Macklin's house, and, and a hundred others. Why, you're lending them the money to build, and then, they're going to pay it back to you as best they can." Seventy-eight years ago, George Bailey memorably explained the operation of a mutual savings and loan to a national audience in It's a Wonderful Li
Opportunities in the Congressional Review Act, the 'other CRA'
The rarely used Congressional Review Act provides an opportunity for Congress and the president to overturn regulatory rulemakings — and the GOP trifecta in 2025 will bring new regulations up for review. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by TransUnion — ABA experts Kirsten Sutton and Ginny O'Neill break down details about CRA that bankers need to know: Which rul
What you need to know about beneficial ownership and customer due diligence in 2025
Saved by the bell? Millions of American businesses faced a January 1 deadline to register their beneficial owners with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network — until a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction yesterday stopping FinCEN from enforcing the deadline. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by TransUnion — ABA experts Heather Trew and Jonathan Blum d
Memory, nostalgia and the power of sonic branding
Advertising jingles: corny or clever? "Imagine the repetition over years in a community that hears it regularly," says Clark Hook of Financial Marketing Solutions. "It's whether you love or hate jingles, you cannot deny the power of that mnemonic device to put attribution to the things you're putting into the world." On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Agri-Acce
Why middle market businesses are growing more optimistic
Middle market businesses don't get the attention of the Fortune 500 or the love that small businesses get from policymakers, but these firms are still critical to the economy — accounting for a third of private-sector GDP and employing up to 50 million Americans. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Agri-Access — KeyBank commercial bank president Ken Gavrity dis
Tax reform comes into focus for 2025
The Republican sweep of the presidency and Congress, with extremely narrow control of the House, sets up tax policy as a major issue in 2025. With many provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expiring at the end of next year and tax policy changes able to be passed on a simple-majority basis through budget reconciliation, bankers can expect to see tax policy front and center. On the latest ep
Strategies to help America's agricultural producers
With commodity prices falling and producer expenses rising, it's a difficult moment for America's agricultural economy. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Agri-Access — Dakota Mac loan production officer Caleb Hopkins discusses strategies ag lenders are using to support their clients through this cycle. As chair of ABA's Agricultural and Rural Bankers Committee
Rebuilding 'the great Virginia regional bank'
John Asbury didn't need a new job in 2016, but when he saw an opportunity build something lost in the 1990s — what he calls "the great Virginia regional bank" — he took it. Eight years later, Richmond-based Atlantic Union Bank has more than tripled in size and is on track to reach nearly $40 billion in assets after completion of an announced acquisition of Sandy Spring Bank. On the latest episode
Breaking down crypto investment scams
Crypto investment scams cost Americans billions of dollars. The scammers start small with confidence or romance scams and gradually work their way up to demanding ever larger "investments." On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — officials from the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission break down how these scams
Laser-focused on the customer experience
How do community banks balance the need for cutting-edge technology and the human touch? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — Pamela Montpelier of Ballston Spa National Bank talks about how a laser-like focus on customer experience can help drive growth. Among other topics, Montpelier discusses the use of AI-based tools to improve decision-making and hel
A place for regional banks: How BOK Financial finds and fills local needs
As president and CEO of $50 billion-plus BOK Financial, Stacy Kymes spends time thinking about the role of regional banks in the U.S. economy. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — Kymes talks about how BOK Financial finds unique niches and meets the credit and capital market needs in its core mid-America markets. Among other topics, Kymes discusses: BOK
How a Latin American banking franchise is growing in South Florida
Miami is often described as the northernmost city in Latin America, or sometimes as Latin America's business capital. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — Banesco USA President and CEO Cali Garcia-Velez discusses how he and his team are growing a Latin American banking franchise in South Florida and Puerto Rico. Among other topics, Garcia-Velez discusses
When going through a core conversion pays off
Most bankers dread the thought of a core conversion, but once that decision is made, the process can open up new opportunities for strategic growth. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — Webster Five CIO Kate Megraw discusses her bank's conversion and what she learned. Among other topics, Megraw explains: How a new core met the business strategy needs of
'At the end of the day, it's all about financial empowerment'
As chief corporate responsibility officer for Webster Bank, Marissa Weidner works across the bank's footprints and business lines to help advance the bank's goals of financial empowerment. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — Weidner discusses the many dimensions of how this takes shape at the northeastern regional bank. Among other topics, she explores:
More tools to tackle check fraud
Fraud is front and center for America's banks, and on the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — ABA's Paul Benda and Peter Cook discuss several recent initiatives taken by ABA to help banks tackle fraud from a variety of fronts. Benda discusses ABA's recently expanded Fraud Contact Directory, which is free to all banks and now encompasses other forms of fraud t
A Canadian bank's versatile business model
Earlier this week, VersaBank closed on its purchase of Stearns Bank Holdingford N.A., giving the Canadian point-of-sale lender a point of entry into the U.S. market. On the season eight premiere of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Alkami — VersaBank founder and CEO David Taylor discusses the bank's growth plans in the United States. Taylor also explores his career history in banking,
Are credit unions overspending on marketing?
Consumers everywhere see and hear credit union marketing campaigns, from PenFed's ubiquitous jingle to big stadium and Super Bowl sponsorship deals. In fact, according to a new ABA DataBank post from ABA's Dan Brown and Robert Flock, credit unions spend more than double what comparable banks do on marketing as a percentage of net income. But why do credit unions, which serve members from defined
M&A outlook with Paul Davis
At the midpoint of the year, what's the M&A outlook like for community banks? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA Banking Journal Contributing Editor Paul Davis discusses what he's seeing with mergers and acquisitions and what to expect for the remainder of 2024. Davis, the founder of the Bank Slate newsletter, also discusses what he's hearing from banks about succession
