The Community Bank Podcast

Today we bring on Owen LaFave, Market President at the Bank of Tampa. He tells us all about how he uses LinkedIn to create value for himself and his bank. Owen's advice in today's episode could inform your LinkedIn strategy to create value for your clients and to meet new prospects.   Learn more about The ARC Program here.   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely...

Today SouthState's own Mark Thompson, Banking Group President of Florida, joins us. With over 40 years of banking experience, he shares a wealth of knowledge with us. We discuss the current landscape for commercial lending, what to look for when hiring commercial lenders, and how to keep the "small feel" in a growing bank.   Learn more about Loan Command here.   The views, information, or opinions...

Today we bring back Sim Cheema, who works on our ARC Team here at SouthState. We talk about the current Fed policy, the economic environment, and what all that means for you and your lenders at your bank.   Learn more about ARC here. Learn more about the Community Bank Summer Performance Series here.   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participa...

Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Nathan Stovall from S&P Global Market Intelligence. They discuss current trends in the banking industry including the outlook for deposit growth and costs, the forecast for credit quality, bank M&A, regulation, and many other great topics.   Learn more about The Deposit Conference!   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solel...

Today we sit down with William Warren, Founder of The Sketch Effect — a visual communications agency that works with brands like Chick-fil-A and Delta Airlines. William talks about the importance of visual storytelling, why it's so overlooked in the business world, and how to inspire and lead the creatives on your team. REQUEST YOUR SPOT FOR OUR COMMUNITY BANK SUMMER PERFORMANCE SERIES HERE The vi...

Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Raphael Reznek, Chief Technology Officer of Mascoma Bank. They discuss bank architecture and focus on leveraging technology to your bank's benefit in the current, evolving world around AI.   Learn more about and register for Elevate here! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do no...

Today we feature an internal conversation with Curtis Campbell, SouthState Bank's Director of Cybersecurity Training and Education. She discusses the importance of having a plan for cybersecurity and ensuring that your bank's team members are well-equipped to defend against cyber threats. LEARN MORE ABOUT ELEVATE HERE.   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely tho...

Today Tom Fitzgerald sits down with series regular Joe Keating. They discuss the latest trends in the current economy and the outlook for interest rates.    LEARN MORE ABOUT ELEVATE HERE.   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. –...

This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2021 with Jesse Cole, Founder of the Savannah Bananas baseball team. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Memb...

This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2023 with Mark Miller, Former VP of High Performance Leadership at Chick-fil-A. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank,...

Today we sit down with Josh Etress, Chief Operating Officer of Anchor Investments. He shares how he adds value to his great and growing LinkedIn following and how bankers just like you can too. Josh also discusses his experiences with leadership as both leader and follower, as well as his insights on commercial real estate.   REGISTER FOR ELEVATE HERE.   The views, information, or opinions express...

Today we sit down with Jeff Hancher who shares his thought leadership, particularly related to delivering feedback as leaders, founded in his own experiences and ideologies. Consider picking up his upcoming book, Firm Feedback in a Fragile World , which "is your guide to giving honest, impactful feedback without breaking trust or morale."   REGISTER FOR ELEVATE HERE.   The views, information, or o...

Today Caleb Stevens sits down with Chris Bates from Agora Eversole for a wide-ranging conversation on bank marketing. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today Chris Nichols sits down with Craig Rodenberger, Chief Marketing Officer of Ephrata National Bank. Craig shares how they bank the Amish community and what it looks like to create remarkable experiences for your clients. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent t...

Today we sit down with Eric Corrigan with MJC Partners to discuss M&A and capital raising. He tells us all about what community banks should be paying attention to when it comes to M&A deals, whether it's imminent or something farther out on the horizon for your bank.   TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants...

Today we sit down with Randy Goggans, Founder and CEO of BankerBounty. He tells us about his beginnings into banking and how his experience has resulted in BankerBounty and how he helps banks like yours foster a relationship culture through it.   TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not nec...

Today, Tom Fitzgerald and Joe Keating sit down to discuss the economic outlook as we near the end of the 2025 first quarter. They touch on current economic trends, projections, and the impacts of tariffs, rates, and various other topics. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily...

Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Mike Fletcher, President and Co-Founder of Qualtik, to discuss the latest trends in commercial credit. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC  

Today Chris Nichols sits down with three of SouthState Bank's team members, Tiffany Metelsky, Kunal Das, and Karissa Herns. They discuss our recent Data Build-a-thon, where 58 internal participants were asked to analyze data and identify and present opportunities for increased sales, marketing strategies, or customer satisfaction. First-place winner Karissa shares her thoughts and event organizers...

Today, SouthState's Chris Nichols sits down with Steve Ramirez, Founder of Beyond the Arc, where they offer B2B payment strategies for banks. They discuss the current trends and best practices for how banks can market payments.   GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participan...

Today we sit down with Russ Hill, co-Founder of Lone Rock Consulting and Lead In 30. We talk about the importance of creating clarity as a leader, leading through change, the relationship between AI and leadership, and several other great topics.   DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants in...

Today we sit down with Stephen Coleman, former Bank OZK executive and Founder of Relativity Holdings, where they build enterprise-level software and technology solutions for banks like yours. We discuss the changing tech landscape in banking and how community banks should approach forming strategic fintech partnerships.   DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or...

Today we sit down with Karl Nelson, Founder and CEO of KPN Consulting. He gives us a recap of the community banking landscape since the Covid pandemic and describes what 2025 could hold for community banks.   DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent...

Today we sit down with Chris Nichols and Ed Kofman. They discuss our e-book, "The Top 12 Winning Strategies for Community Banks in 2025," going into detail on the principles to succeed this year.   GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessari...

Today we sit down with Steve Williams, CEO and Founding Partner of Cornerstone Advisors.  We discuss the community banking landscape for 2025 and the traits every successful bank executive must possess to succeed in today's banking environment.   The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of So...