Main Street Banking: A Podcast for Community Bankers

It's been a busy week with news impacting the markets and, therefore, community banks. ICBA Securities CEO Jim Reber is our go-to to keep us updated on this information and, as a result, we didn't want to wait until our regular drop day to bring you this update.

If there's one thing banking does...it's come up with acronyms! DDA, MOU, CRA, DEI, OREO (my favorite)...and recently BaaS. So, what is "banking as a service"? What does it really mean? What does it do for us? Why is it something that we need to pay attention to in the community banking industry? Angus Ross, Chief Growth and Revenue Officer for BaaS at Finastra stopped by to have this conversation...

We've all heard the adage "know thyself". As in life, it is very true in the community banking world. There's just so much data...so much to know about different things. Today, David Ruffin from IntelliCredit is on the podcast to talk about how data can help in so many different areas of the bank...credit risk, financial performance, peer comparison, individual production...the list goes on and on...

A lot to unpack today in just one 20 minute episode. Jeff Keltner, SVP of Business Development with Upstart, came by initially to talk about embedded finance and how it is used with community banks...especially in the auto lending field. As often happens on Main Street Banking, the conversation went several different places and we talked about big data's impact on credit risk and how using AI/Mach...

I thought that we should try something a little different. For awhile now, we've been talking about trying to get some kind of book club together and it hit me that doing this through the podcast might work. It might not...but we'll see. If you don't already, follow the podcast's LinkedIn page https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/main-street-banking-a-podcast-for-community-bankers and post a book sug...

In honor of National Women's History Month, we are going to have a conversation that is long overdue. We have today Alice Frazier (CEO of Charles Town Bank in Charles Town, WVa) and Kathy Underwood (CEO of Ledyard National Bank in Hanover, NH) to discuss their careers, leadership lessons, their advice to female bankers, and much more. These are two outstanding leaders in the community banking indu...

As most of us know, the Federal Reserve last week upped their rate by 25 bps. This is the 3rd time in the 21st century that this has happened and this is likely to have an impact on your bank's balance sheets. Jim Reber, CEO of ICBA Securities, is on today to give us his market update for community banks. To learn more about ICBA Securities and to learn more about the class referenced in the episo...

It's not often that you can have a 20 or so minute conversation with a large software company about corporate culture, the cloud, and community banking. I really enjoyed getting to know Will Cameron (SVP of Community and Regional Banking) with nCino. Their partnerships with community banks is an approach that listeners of the show will know is the way forward for the industry and Will is a fellow...

It is safe to say that the world has changed. Outside of that being the most obvious statement that you've read on the show notes, the important questions are...how do we maintain it and why is it important. Any long time listener to the podcast knows this is a huge topic with us, but that doesn't mean we won't visit this often particularly when we can have Brad Federman on to discuss this! Brad i...

Today we are wrapping up the ICBA Live event! Hope you have enjoyed getting back together with your family of bankers and just reconnected. I've been wanting to bring back the guys from Botdoc for awhile and we finally were able to coordinate schedules to make it happen. Botdoc is an alum of the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator Powered by the Venture Center. We have a really fun conversation with Kevin...

If you follow any of the community banking lists on Twitter, it won't take you long before you come across Pres Kennedy. He is one of the leading voices in the community banking industry. He is not shy to talk about his feelings on advocacy...at all! However, what I found interesting was his thoughts on the succession planning his bank recently undertook as well as his advice to bankers. Listeners...

Vanessa Hanson is the Digital and Social Engagement Director for the ICBA. Her passion for engagement via social media is palpable and I know you'll see that in the podcast. In addition, we both are attending ICBA Live in San Antonio this year and have some really cool ideas for that as well! All in all, it was a great conversation about community banks' approach to social engagement, what works,...

We've all dealt with it. KYC...Know Your Customer. I am definitely not downplaying it's role in compliance and the safety of the bank, but let's be honest...we believe we already "know our customers", right? Let's set aside how we really don't know every single one of our customers and the implications there around money-laundering and the like and ask a different question...what about in new mark...

The Fed had their quarterly meetings last week. Here today to give us an update on this and what it means for community banks is Jim Reber, Pres/CEO of ICBA Securities. We thank Jim for his sponsorship as well as coming on to give us updates in this area for us. Be sure to check out their site at https://www.icba.org/icba-securities

How are we going to leave this thing we call community banking to the next generation? That's the question I struggled with as a judged a district competition for young business leaders. The talent level of these students is off the charts. Our industry, if we engage in ways that are meaningful and consistent, will be in good hands. BUT...we have to engage in ways that are meaningful and consisten...

Sharon Anderson, President and CEO of Williamstown Bank in West Virginia faced the same problems most community banks face...intense competition, decline of lobby traffic, etc. To boot, she took over the week before the pandemic really took off in March 2020. But that didn't stop her...the bank started a donation based coffee shop and decided to undertake renovating the branches. This brings us to...

As you may have noticed on the show over the last few months, we've been featuring more fintech than normal. The reason, as I described in this episode, is that we are continuing to see a more relationship-driven approach to the fintech in regards to community banks. Today's episode with Carey Ransom, Managing Director of BankTech Ventures, takes a little different perspective on this...from the v...

Community bankers deal with risk everyday. We know this...but we also know that the sheer breadth of al things deemed "risk" or "compliance" grows every day and the size of your team does not. It is imperative that we know what we are looking at, but more importantly, begin to think about what we need to be looking at and thinking through that process. Amanda Cohen, Director of Product at Resolver...

The ICBA has done some amazing work over the past few years with the ThinkTECH Accelerator partnering with The Venture Center. I know we talk about them a good bit...but that's how impressive the whole operation is. Charles Potts, Chief Innovation Officer with the ICBA, is back again to give us his look back on 2021, his look forward to 2022, and his "wish list" of areas community banks and fintec...

Literally my favorite episode each year. In keeping with what has become a traditional line-up at the end of the year, and like all traditions during the holiday season...it's time to get the family today and laugh. That's what this episode is for us as the Barret staff...a look into who we are and what we do. We take a look back at 2021, a look ahead at 2022, and discuss some things we're hoping...

Continuing our conversation with Jimmy Sawyers about his 2021 Predictions and how they came to pan out during the year. Sawyers and Jacobs is a phenomenal firm and we're very lucky to partner with them for grad school and in their events. They've got some great programs coming up that you can check out and register for here: https://sawyersjacobs.com/events/ And don't forget our sponsor, ICBA Secu...

One of the traditions of Main Street Banking has been having Jimmy Sawyers, long time faculty member and friend to Barret, on to review his annual predictions he makes at the beginning of each year. It's a little different twist on the average "end of the year" content and Jimmy's a good sport about it. Honestly though, he gets it spot-on a vast majority of the time! Sawyers and Jacobs has some gr...

It's getting to be that time of year when we start doing the "year in review" and "looking ahead" podcast episodes. I really enjoy these as they gives banks a good place to pause, reflect, and change course if needed. Today's episode with Philip and Greyson is a good look at this from the perspective of the board of directors. What does the M&A market look like? What does DEI and ESG look like for...

Each year, at this time, I think most of us take the time to reflect on the things we are thankful for in life. We did this last year on the podcast and I'd like to do it again. Here's my list of things that I am thankful for in the community banking industry in 2021. Thanks to ICBA Securities for their sponsorship and be sure to check them out at https://www.icba.org/icba-securities

We love to tell the stories of community banks that are doing things...differently. They embody the term "community banking". First International Bank and Trust in North Dakota fits this mold perfectly. 4th generation bank...owned by the same family...fantastic growth...led the way in reviving their hometown...and opened up a steak house and a brewery. If you know Chris and I, then you know this i...