IBAT Annual Convention

September 20-23, 2025  | Fort Worth

IBAT’s Annual Convention is a four-day event that takes an in-depth look at key issues impacting the banking industry, specifically those related to community banks. Join us at the Omni Fort Worth, September 20-23, 2025, for everything you’ve come to expect from an IBAT event: great keynote speakers, educational breakout sessions, regulatory updates, awards, peer-to-peer resource sharing opportunities and networking and entertainment options, including the Chairman’s Opening Party and PAC Auction/Dinner.

As always, the Annual Convention will be packed with brand-new actionable insights and practical takeaways on some of the most important topics in community banking you won't want to miss.

                          

Keynote Speaker

The Human Advantage: Strategies for Winning in the Age of Machines
In a world dominated by rapid technological change and artificial intelligence, it's easy to believe that machines will define the future of work. But this year's keynote speaker, Seth Mattison, Author, Advisor, Keynote Speaker and Co-Founder of FutureSight Labs and Impact Eleven, brings a powerful reminder: our greatest advantage isn't artificial—it's human.

 A renowned thought leader and futurist, set is on a mission to equip today's leaders with the insights, strategies and tools they need to build not just future-ready, but future-leading organizations. In his thought-providing keynote, "The Human Advantage: Strategies for Winning in the Age of Machines," Seth challenges us to reframe our mindset around AI—not as a replacement, but as an amplifier of human potential.

2025 AGENDA

 
Saturday, September 20
  
2:00-5:00 p.m.
 Registration
6:00-7:30 p.m. Kickoff Welcome Reception Celebrating Chairman Harris (Transportation Provided)
   
Sunday, September 21
7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Registration
7:30-8:00 a.m. Devotional
7:45-9:00 a.m. Grab-and-Go Breakfast
9:00-10:00 a.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions (5 Tracks):
  • Leadership/Strategy - Give Your Lenders the Courage to Succeed: Sales Leadership Insights from the C-Suite
  • Performance - Modern Payment Strategies in Community Banking: Balancing, Revenue and Relationships
  • Risk Management - Bank Robbery Case Study
  • Technology - Digital Branches are No Longer the Future - They are the Now
  • Wild Card - Banking Through the Bottlenecks: A Panel on Tariffs, Trade and the Road Ahead
10:00-10:15 a.m. Refreshment Break
10:15-11:15 a.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions (5 Tracks):
  • Leadership/Strategy - The Four Masteries of Execution: Focus, Leverage, Engagement, Accountability. Turning Strategy into Action.
  • Performance - Loan Pricing Strategies: Don't Let Your Bank Become a Castaway
  • Risk Management - Check Fraud on the Rise: Ways to Protect Your Customers and Bank
  • Technology - Navigating AI and Deepfake Challenges in Community Banking
  • Wild Card - Executive Comp Strategies
12:00-2:15 p.m. Opening General Session and Lunch
2:30-6:00 p.m. Exhibit Hall Opening Reception
6:00-8:30 p.m. Evening Free
8:30-10:30 p.m.
 Convention Casino Night
   
Monday, September 22
  
7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Registration
8:00-10:00 a.m.
 General Session and Breakfast
10:00-11:30 a.m. Exhibit Hall Open
11:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m.
 Awards Luncheon & General Session
2:15-3:15 p.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions (5 Tracks):
  • Leadership/Strategy - Strategic Succession Planning: Securing the Future of Community Banking
  • Performance - Asset/Liability Management in Today's Environment 
  • Risk Management - Navigating Credit Risk in the Current Environment
  • Technology - Session Info Coming Soon
  • Wild Card - Everything You Wanted to Know From a Regulator but Were Afraid to Ask (Panel)
3:15-3:30 p.m.
 Refreshment Break
3:30-4:30 p.m. Concurrent Breakout Sessions (5 Tracks):
  • Leadership/Strategy - The Economic Impact of Texas Community Banking
  • Performance - Next-Gen Deposit Strategies: Driving Growth and Loyalty in Community Banking (Panel)
  • Risk Management - Artificial Intelligence, Real Accountability: Navigating AI’s Legal and Ethical Crossroads
  • Technology - Navigating Emerging Fraud Trends in the Payments Ecosystem
  • Wild Card - FDICIA Readiness: Strategic Insights for Banks Approaching $500MM and $1B in Assets 
5:30-6:30 p.m. Hospitality Suites
6:30-9:00 p.m. PAC Auction and Dinner
   
Tuesday, September 23
  
8:00-10:15 a.m.
 Closing General Session and Breakfast: Annual Meeting and New Chairman's Address

2025 EVENT SPONSORS
Strategic Sponsor




Diamond Sponsors

                                
Gold Sponsors


                             

                        

        

Silver Sponsors

ADVANTAGE, Powered By JMFA
Alston & Bird LLP
b1BANK
BMA Banking Systems
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP)
CollateralEdge
CP Insurance Associates
DCI (Data Center Inc.)
Diebold Nixdorf
Fenimore Kay Harrison LLP
Glory Global Solutions
Holland & Knight LLP
IBT Apps
InfoAgora Inc.
IntraFi
Stephens Inc.
The Bank Advisory Group
The Bankers Bank
Bronze Sponsors

AccuBranch
Agent IQ
Bedel Security
Candescent
Data Business Equipment, Inc. (DBE)
Digital Onboarding, Inc.
Eide Bailly LLP
FIntegrate Technology
HC3
Henry & Peters, P.C.
Huron Consulting Group
Kreps-Colgan & Associates Executive Search, LLC
Kristopher James Company
LemonadeLXP

Lend Mortgage Services, LLC
Olsen Palmer LLC
Ray, Feighny & Hartle PLLC
Remedy Consulting
Revio Insight
Select Bankcard
SHAZAM
SRM
Strunk LLC
SWGSB
Versateq, LLC
Whitley Penn
Yennik, Inc.

2025 EXHIBITORS


5ironCyber
AccuBranch
Advantage Health Plans Trust
ADVANTAGE, Powered By JMFA
Agent IQ
Baker Tilly
BCC
Bedel Security
BMA Banking Systems
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP)
CollateralEdge
Community Capital Technology Inc.
Computer Services, Inc. (CSI)
Convergint
CP Insurance Associates
Data Business Equipment, Inc. (DBE)
Data Center Inc.
Deluxe Corporation
Deluxe Merchant Services
Diebold Nixdorf
Digital Onboarding, Inc.
Dolphin Debit Access, LLC
Eclipse Brand Builders, LLC
Eide Bailly LLP
Eltropy
Farmers National Company - Energy
FIntegrate Technology
FINTX
Forbinifi
Forvis Mazars
Glory Global Solutions
Haberfeld
HC3
HuLoop
 IBT Apps
ICBA CRA Solutions
Independent Community Bankers of America® (ICBA®)
InfoAgora Inc.
Integris
IntraFi
Ironcore, Inc.
Kasasa
Kristopher James Company
La Macchia Group
LemonadeLXP
MeridianLink Inc.
MoneyGram International, Inc.
MPA Systems, Inc.
Ncontracts
NFP Executive Benefits
PhaseOne Design Builders
PlanGroup Financial
PULSE
Purple Wave Auction
R&T Deposit Solutions
Revio Insight
RiskScout
S&P Global Market Intelligence
SBS CyberSecurity, LLC
SHAZAM
Spry
SQN Banking Systems
SRM
StrategyCorps, LLC
Strunk LLC
Teslar Software
TransFund
UFS Tech
Verge Network Solutions
Vitex, Inc.
Xactus
Zelus Automation Platform, LLC