9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Give Your Lenders the Courage to Succeed: Sales Leadership Insights from the C-Suite
Mark Trinkle (Anthony Cole Training Group) and Sloan Kuehl (First National Bank of Central Texas)

Did you know that top-performing lenders generate up to 10x more revenue than their peers?

Great lenders—and exceptional relationship managers—are rare gems. Like diamonds, their brilliance comes from a unique set of traits that set them apart. We all know the 4 Cs of diamonds: cut, color, clarity and carat. But what are the 4 Cs of top-tier relationship managers?

Join Sloan Kuehl, President & CLO of FNBCT, and Mark Trinkle, CGO of Anthony Cole Training Group, for an interactive session uncovering what truly drives elite performance in banking. Using data from Objective Management Group, the leader in sales force evaluations, they’ll share eye-opening insights into what separates the best from the rest—and how you can build a high-performance team around those characteristics.

What You’ll Learn:

• The 4 essential qualities that define "diamond-level" relationship managers.
• How to take the lead in sales leadership—and align that effort with your CEO.
• How to access a free diagnostic tool to benchmark your team’s relationship-building skills against top-performing banks.

This is your opportunity to rethink how you identify, hire and develop lending talent—and start building a team that shines.

Modern Payment Strategies in Community Banking: Balancing Revenue and Relationships (Panel)
Rian Clinton (Deluxe Merchant Services), Shon Cass (Texas Security Bank) and Tom Moreno (Texas Partners Bank)

The payments landscape is shifting fast—are you ready to keep up?

For community banks, this rapid evolution brings both exciting opportunities and pressing challenges. In this session, we’ll dive into smart, strategic ways to stay ahead—from boosting interchange revenue and tapping into the power of FedNow, to deepening your merchant relationships.

You’ll learn how to align your payment solutions with what your customers actually want—all while navigating regulatory changes and rising tech disruption. Whether your focus is driving profitability, leading innovation or making a stronger impact in your community, this session will give you practical, actionable insights to lead your bank into the future of payments.   

Lessons from a Local Heist: A Real-World Bank Robbery Case Study
Shawn Scott (Robbery Investigators of Texas)

What happens when the unthinkable hits close to home? In this eye-opening session, Shawn Scott of RIOT breaks down a recent bank robbery that took place in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex—offering a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how it unfolded and what was learned. From initial incident to investigation, discover key takeaways that community banks can use to strengthen their own security measures, improve staff preparedness and stay ahead of evolving threats.

Digital Branches: The Future is NOW
Tanna Faulkner (DCI)

The future of community banking isn’t coming—it’s already here. As customer expectations evolve and competition intensifies, digital branches have moved from a forward-looking concept to a must-have strategy. In this dynamic session, we’ll dive into how financial institutions are leveraging fully digital branch solutions to expand their footprint, elevate the customer experience and accelerate growth. Discover why now is the ideal moment to embrace digital transformation—and how your organization can lead the way in this rapidly shifting landscape.

10:15 - 11:15 a.m.

The 4 Masteries of Execution: Focus, Leverage, Engagement, Accountability. Turning Strategy into Action.
Chris DiLorenzo (The James Paul Group)

Great strategies are exciting. They’re bold, visionary—and often doomed to gather dust. Sound familiar? Your bank crafted the perfect plan, shared it with enthusiasm and believed it was the answer to everything. But months later, the momentum fades, and the strategy quietly disappears beneath the weight of daily operations. The truth is, strategy is easy—execution is the real challenge.

In this high-impact session, you’ll be introduced to The 4 Masteries of Execution—a powerful framework designed to help leaders and teams bridge the gap between ambition and achievement. You’ll learn how to cut through the noise of everyday demands (“the whirlwind”) and create a culture where your most important goals actually get done.

Loan Pricing Strategies: Don't Let Your Bank Become a Castaway
Dick Burch (Deluxe Banker's Dashboard)

Remember that moment in Castaway when Tom Hanks’s character meets Wilson? He had no idea that a volleyball would become his lifeline during years of isolation. Hopefully, you’re not talking to office supplies just yet—but in today’s volatile market, it can sometimes feel like you’re stranded, fighting to stay afloat.

The modern community bank faces headwinds that can throw even the best institutions off course. In this fast-paced session, a team of former bank CEOs and financial “survivalists” will share real-world strategies to help your bank navigate uncertainty, sharpen its loan pricing approach and turn low-cost deposits into a strategic weapon.

What You’ll Learn:

• Creating the Strategy: Driving low-cost deposits is essential to staying competitive. By actively targeting business deposits and other strategic account sources, banks can reduce their cost of funds and turn deposits into a powerful engine for growth.
• FED/FIS Update: Deposit costs are starting to decline, but many banks haven’t adjusted. To stay ahead, it’s crucial to push through rate reductions on deposit accounts and secure low-cost deposits before competitors do. In today’s market, the last bank to act loses—those who recognize the shift early gain a clear advantage.
• Loan Pricing Models and Beyond: Loan pricing models matter—but they’re only part of the equation. Low-cost deposits give banks the flexibility to offer competitive rates to low-risk clients while preserving healthy margins. It’s simple: buy low, sell high. This approach boosts profitability and builds stronger customer relationships.

If your bank is still waiting for a rescue, it’s time to build the raft. This session will help you move from survival mode to strategic growth—and Banker’s Dashboard just might be the Wilson that keeps your team focused and afloat.

Monday, September 22, 2025

2:15 - 3:15 p.m.

Beyond the Emergency Exit: Building a Strategic Succession Plan for Long-Term Leadership Success
Bryn Harari (Eide Bailly LLC)

With a growing wave of retirements and leadership transitions on the horizon, community banks face a pivotal moment. Succession planning is no longer optional — it’s a strategic imperative. This dynamic session will equip bank leaders with a clear, actionable framework for identifying leadership gaps, developing internal talent and integrating succession planning into long-term strategy — not just as a one-time event, but as a continuous process.

Through real-world case studies from peer institutions, we’ll examine how successful banks have moved beyond informal or last-minute plans and made succession part of their strategic DNA. We’ll also explore the risks of waiting too long — including operational disruption and regulatory concerns — and what boards and executive teams should be doing right now to future-proof their leadership pipelines.

What You’ll Learn:

• Assess their bank’s current succession readiness — identifying strengths, gaps and vulnerabilities across key leadership roles.
• Differentiate between reactive replacement planning and proactive succession strategy, and understand the long-term risks of delaying action.
• Apply a phased, strategic model for succession planning that aligns with regulatory expectations, leadership development and business continuity.
• Learn from real-world examples of community banks that have succeeded — and struggled — with succession planning, drawing out practical lessons.
• Take immediate next steps, including clarifying roles, identifying high-potential leaders, and embedding succession into broader strategic conversations.

Whether your bank is just beginning the succession conversation or looking to sharpen an existing plan, this session will provide the insights and tools to lead with confidence into the next generation.

Asset/Liability Management in Today's Environment
Dale Sheller (The Baker Group)

Nearly three years after the Federal Reserve launched its aggressive tightening campaign, the economic terrain for banks has been fundamentally reshaped. As we progress through 2025, institutions are operating in a complex environment defined by persistently elevated interest rates, evolving post-election policy shifts, and renewed concerns about an economic slowdown.

In this timely and forward-looking session, we’ll unpack the latest economic indicators, regulatory expectations, and financial trends impacting the banking sector. Senior leaders and finance professionals will gain insight into how to strengthen their institution’s positioning through volatile conditions — with a focus on sound balance sheet management, interest rate strategy, and compliance readiness.

Key Topics Include:

• The Fed’s trajectory: What’s next for rates in a post-tightening cycle?
• Key trends shaping bank balance sheets, net interest margins and liquidity in 2025.
• Investment portfolio strategies to optimize returns while managing risk in a high-rate, uncertain market.
• Best practices for maintaining regulatory compliance with interest rate risk (IRR) and liquidity risk management frameworks.

Whether you're recalibrating your bank’s strategy or preparing for the next phase of economic change, this session will equip you with practical insights to lead with confidence in a shifting financial landscape.

• Emerging credit risk drivers and how to respond.
• Sector-specific risks and how to manage exposure.
• Regulatory "hot buttons" and expectations in today’s environment.
• Practical steps for enhancing both underwriting and monitoring practices.

Key Topics Include:

• Key regulatory priorities and what examiners are watching now.
• How to manage liquidity and risk more effectively amid market and policy shifts.
• Strategies to remain competitive in a challenging deposit landscape.
• Evolving views on deposit insurance and supervisory frameworks — and how to stay ahead.

This is your opportunity to hear candid insights directly from those who once shaped the rules. Ideal for executives, compliance leaders and risk professionals preparing for what’s next.

Monday, September 22, 2025

3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

The Economic Impact of Texas Community Banking
Maulik Doshi and Hayden Roberts (Steward Redqueen USA)

How vital are Texas community banks to the state’s economy? In this compelling session, economic consultancy Steward Redqueen shares key findings from their in-depth study on the economic impact of Texas community banks — revealing just how central these institutions are to job creation, GDP growth and financial access across the state.

From fueling small business growth to serving communities where credit options are limited, community banks are more than financial institutions — they’re economic engines. Join us to explore the data behind their impact and gain a deeper understanding of how these banks strengthen Texas’s economy from the ground up.

Next-Gen Deposit Strategies: Driving Growth and Loyalty in Community Banking (Panel)
Andrew Fix (Moderator, HC3), Ebony Ivey (Digital Onboarding), Casey Barrett (Texas Bank) and Greg Wilson (Lamar National Bank)

As competition for deposits intensifies and customer expectations evolve, community banks must rethink traditional approaches to deposit growth. This forward-looking session explores how to combine the relationship-driven strength of community banking with modern, data-powered strategies to attract, retain and grow core deposits.

Discover how digital onboarding is transforming the customer experience, how strategic rate tiering can strike the right balance between profitability and competitiveness and how deposit analytics can reveal untapped potential within your existing portfolio.

Whether you're navigating liquidity pressures or building for long-term growth, this session will deliver practical insights to help your institution remain relevant, resilient and deeply connected to the communities you serve.

Key Topics Include:

• Leverage digital tools to enhance customer acquisition and loyalty.
• Implement smart rate tiering strategies to optimize deposit pricing.
• Use deposit analytics to uncover hidden opportunities.
• Align modern tactics with your bank’s core community mission.

Artificial Intelligence, Real Accountability: Navigating AI's Legal and Ethical Crossroads
Tony Barbieri (Kessler Collins, P.C.)

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the financial industry—streamlining customer service, enhancing risk modeling and driving smarter decision-making. But alongside these breakthroughs come complex legal, ethical, and operational challenges.

In this breakout session, we’ll explore the real-world impact of AI in financial services, with a sharp focus on accountability, transparency and regulatory compliance. Join us for a candid discussion on how community banks can harness AI responsibly while navigating an evolving risk landscape.

Navigating Emerging Fraud Trends in the Payments Ecosystem
Robert Greene (VISA)

Fraud is evolving—and fast. In this dynamic and thought-provoking breakout session, we’ll dive into the latest fraud prevention advancements and the emerging threats that are reshaping the payments landscape. Guided by insights from Visa’s Payment Ecosystem Risk Committee (PERC), we’ll take a deep look at top risks such as enumeration and account testing, malicious apps, NFC exploits, system misconfigurations, PRA attacks, digital skimming, ransomware and large-scale data breaches.

We’ll examine the sharp rise in enumeration and account testing attacks, uncovering how these tactics are used globally to fuel fraud—and what financial institutions can do to shut them down. Our discussion on malicious apps and NFC vulnerabilities will reveal the growing risks in both offline and contactless transactions, while our deep dive into system misconfigurations will expose hidden gaps that fraudsters exploit.

Scams are evolving too—and we want your input. This session includes an interactive segment where audience members will identify real scam tactics in action, highlighting new techniques and raising awareness through hands-on learning. We’ll also unpack the surge in digital skimming, PRA attacks and ransomware, exploring both their implications and how to detect and defend against them. And throughout the session, we’ll spotlight Visa PERC’s proactive role in combating fraud—from advanced vulnerability testing and contextual defenses to global fraud intelligence and research.

Designed to spark discussion and deliver practical takeaways, this session will equip attendees with the tools and insights needed to navigate today’s complex fraud landscape—especially the rising threats facing Texas-based institutions.

Key Topics Include:

• Clear guidance on audit committee structure and oversight responsibilities.
• A practical understanding of internal control and financial reporting requirements.
• Insights into CEO/CFO certification and what external auditors will expect.
• Actionable advice on timeline planning and resource allocation for smooth implementation.