2025 IBAT EDGE

May 6-7 | Waco

An event designed to meet the educational needs of community bankers in Texas and beyond. 

Hosted by the Education Foundation of the Independent Bankers Association of Texas, this two-day event is designed to help you Educate, Develop, Guide and Empower your team to take the next steps in their careers, for the good of your bank and its customers. 

This event will include sessions featuring thought provoking and inspiring keynote speakers. Attendees will be able to pick from 48 breakout sessions, divided into six tracks: Compliance, Credit & Lending, Human Resources, Operations, Leadership & Strategy and Marketing.

Each breakout session will provide the opportunity to dive deep into hot topic issues related to each track. No matter what your role is in the bank, you will benefit from greater knowledge of how you can build a team and affect positive outcomes in your organization.

2025 Keynote Speakers

Dave Martin, BankMechanics

Speaker, Writer, Banker Advocate 
Keeping Banker Teams Resilient and Relevant in Times of Change

Christopher Williston, IBAT

President and CEO
Taking the Leading Role from Behind the Scenes

2025 Breakout Session Tracks

EDGE includes educational breakout tracks focused on six distinct topic areas.  Attendees may choose a single track to follow for the entire event or jump from track to track to create the learning experience that best supports your career growth.  Check out the full schedule to see the full lineup of topics and presenters. 

 

Compliance

  
Credit & Lending/Risk Management

  
Human Resources

Sessions in this track focus on mitigating risk and managing compliance efficiently. Topics covered:

  • AML/CFT Enforcement Actions: Lessons to be Learned
  • Check Fraud on the Rise: Ways to Protect Your Customer and Your Bank
  • How to Get your SARs the Attention They Deserve
  • Risk Assessments
  • Managing Third-Party AI Risk: What You Need to Know Today
  • Everything You Wanted to Ask Bank Regulators but Were Afraid To
  • Panel: Banking Riskier Businesses 
  • Vendor Management for Bankers and Compliance Officers
  

Best practices in finance for a sound loan portfolio, regulatory overview on lending, as well as creating new opportunities of engagement for market growth. Topics covered:

  • The Ag Market Cycle - Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?
  • Dodd-Frank 1071: Small Business Lending Data Collection
  • Fair Lending & UDAAP Update
  • Building a Stronger Credit Analysis
  • Panel: Best Practice and Trends
  • DNA of an Effective Relationship Manager/Lender: The 21 Core Sales Competencies
  • Credit Risk Management: Keeping Up with Ever-Changing and Evolving
  • Panel: Debunking Common Misconceptions around CORE and Bank Technology
  As businesses and bank operations continue to evolve, Human Resources plays a vital role in handling employees to positively influence a bank’s growth and success. Topics covered:

  • How “Smart” are Your Emotions?
  • Panel: Hot Topics of the HR World 
  • Performance Management
  • Having Tough Conversations in the Workplace 
  • Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
  • Can You Hear Me Now? Improve Internal Communication
  • Navigating the Human Capital Horizon: Emerging HR Trends in Community Banking
  • Your Bank's Mission Matters

Leadership & Strategy

  
Marketing

  
Operations

This track reviews the power behind technology advancements to grow business, processes to deploy smarter strategies for market expansion and how to exceed customer expectations. Topics covered:

  • Collaboration: Working Across Boundaries in Your Bank to Achieve Excellence
  • The Good Kind of Data Hack: How to Make Your Data Drive Revenue
  • Significant Leadership: Making a Difference in the Lives of Those You Lead
  • Navigating the Climb: Insights from Bankers Who Have Built Successful Careers
  • Success Code: A Transformational Strategic Framework
  • Interest Rate Risk in 2025: Impacts of a Soft Landing Versus a Recession
  • Are You in the Payments Game?
  • Transformative Branch Conversations
 
   Get the inside scoop on properly marketing your bank to customers. Discover how to transform your existing brand and data into tools and branch aesthetics that will help your bank's brand stand out. Topics covered:
  • The Magic of Multisensory Technology
  • Strategies for Creating a Best-in-Class Debit Program
  • The Future of Banking for Generation Z: What They Want and What They Really Need
  • Content Marketing Made Simple: A Guide for Community Banks of All Sizes
  • Brand Intelligence: Building a Strong Foundation for Your Bank’s Identity
  • Improve Digital Onboarding Success Within the First 30 Days
  • The Strange & Fantastic Future of Bank Marketing
  • Profitability Basics: Why Marketing Matters to Your Bank’s Bottom Line
 

   From staffing to project management to marketing to product development, this track covers a wide range of topics to help you optimize and strengthen your back-office operations. Topics covered:
  • Taking the Mystery Out of Vulnerability Metrics
  • Accelerate Transformation: Protect, Synergize and Build a Sustainable Operations Model
  • Exploring the Potential of Responsible AI in Banking
  • Revolutionizing Customer Service in Community Banking
  • Financial Institution Robbery Prevention and Preparedness
  • How to be Creative in Your Pursuit of Core Deposit Growth
  • Evolving ATM Security
  • Project Management
 

Who Should Attend and Pricing

This event was designed with your team in mind. It is intended to be a "one-stop shop" for live education and networking for a diverse group of bank officers and emerging leaders.

Registration Fees:
IBAT Member:  $995
Non-Member and Non-Associate Member: $1,595
If your bank or company is registering more than four employees, please contact Mandy Robinson ([email protected]) for discount options.

2025 Tentative Agenda 

Monday, May 5  
3:00 – 5:00 p.m. AM Banker Networking with Refreshments
5:00 p.m.
 Dinner on Your Own
   
Tuesday, May 6
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Exhibit Encounters
7:30 – 8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:15 – 9:30 a.m.  General Session
9:30 – 10:00 a.m. 
 Refreshment Break
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: AML/CFT Enforcement Actions: Lessons to be Learned
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: The Ag Market Cycle - Where Are We Now? Where Are We Going?
  • Human Resources: How "Smart" Are Your Emotions?
  • Leadership & Strategy: Collaboration - Working Across Boundaries in Your Bank to Achieve Excellence 
  • Marketing: The Magic of Multisensory Technology
  • Operations: Taking the Mystery out of Vulnerability Metrics
11:00 – 11:15 a.m.  Refreshment Break 
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Check Fraud on the Rise - Ways to Protect Your Customers and Bank 
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Dodd-Frank 1071 - Small Business Lending Data Collection 
  • Human Resources: Hot Topics of the HR World (Panel)
  • Leadership & Strategy: The Good Kind of Data Hack - How to Make Your Data Drive Your Revenue 
  • Marketing: Strategies for Creating a Best-in-Class Debit Program
  • Operations: Accelerate Transformation - Protect, Synergize and Build a More Sustainable Operations Model 
12:15 – 1:30 p.m. Lunch with Exhibitors
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: How to Get your SARs the Attention They Deserve - Effective SAR Narrative Writing
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Fair Lending and UDAAP Update - A Discussion on the Applicability of Fair Lending and Anti-Discrimination Principles to the Life Cycle of a Credit Transaction
  • Human Resources: Performance Management
  • Leadership & Strategy: Significant Leadership - Making a Difference in the Lives of Those You Lead
  • Marketing: The Future of Banking for Generation Z - What They Want and What They Really Need 
  • Operations: Exploring the Potential of Responsible AI in Banking
2:30 – 2:45 p.m.  Refreshment Break 
2:45 – 3:45 p.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Risk Assessments
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Building a Stronger Credit Analysis
  • Human Resources: Having Tough Conversations in the Workplace
  • Leadership & Strategy: Navigating the Climb - Insights from Bankers Who Have Built Successful Careers
  • Marketing: Content Marketing Made Simple - A Guide for Community Banks of All Sizes
  • Operations: Revolutionizing Customer Service in Community Banking
3:45 – 4:00 p.m.  Refreshment Break 
4:00 – 5:00 p.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Managing Third-Party AI Risk - What You Need to Know Today 
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Best Practice and Trends (Panel)
  • Human Resources: Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
  • Leadership & Strategy: Success Code - A Transformational Strategic Framework
  • Marketing: Brand Intelligence - Building a Strong Foundation for Your Bank's Identity 
  • Operations: Financial Institution Robbery Prevention and Preparedness
6:30 – 9:00 p.m.   Dinner and Entertainment 
   
Wednesday, May 7
  
7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
 Exhibit Encounters 
7:30 – 8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Everything You Wanted to Ask Bank Regulators, but Were Afraid To 
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: DNA of an Effective Relationship Manager/Lender - The 21 Core Sales Competencies
  • Human Resources: Can You Hear Me Now? Improve Internal Communication 
  • Leadership & Strategy: Interest Rate Risk in 2025 - Impacts of a Soft Landing Versus a Recession 
  • Marketing: Improve Digital Onboarding Success Within the First 30 Days 
  • Operations: How to be Creative in Your Pursuit of Core Deposit Growth
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.  Refreshment Break
10:00 – 11:00 a.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Banking Riskier Business (Panel)
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Credit Risk Management - Keeping Up with Ever-Changing and Evolving Risks in Your Loan Portfolio
  • Human Resources: Navigating the Humans Capital Horizon - Emerging HR Trends in Community Banking
  • Leadership & Strategy: Are You in the Payments Game?
  • Marketing: The Strange & Fantastic Future of Bank Marketing (Learn How You Will Radically Improve Your Customer Relationships with AI)
  • Operations: Evolving ATM Security 
11:00 –  11:15 a.m. Refreshment Break
11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.  Concurrent Tracks:
  • Compliance: Vendor Management for Bankers & Compliance Officers
  • Credit & Lending/Risk Management: Debunking Common Misconceptions Around CORE and Bank Technology (Panel)
  • Human Resources: Your Bank's Mission Matters
  • Leadership & Strategy: Transformative Branch Conversations (Retail)
  • Marketing: Profitability Basics - Why Marketing Matters to Your Bank's Bottom Line
  • Operations: Project Management
12:30 – 1:45 p.m. Closing General Session + Lunch 
2:00 p.m.  Event Concludes

2025 IBAT EDGE Sponsors

Exclusive Education Partner

 
Strategic Sponsor

 
Gold Sponsors

                          

                        
Silver Sponsors

Bedel Security
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP)
CollateralEdge
CP Insurance Associates
Diebold Nixdorf
 
Fenimore Kay Harrison LLP
FINTX, LLC
Glory Global Solutions
IntraFi
Bronze Sponsors

AccuBranch
Agent IQ
AvTek Solutions, Inc.
Data Business Equipment, Inc. (DBE)
Digital Onboarding, Inc.
Eide Bailly LLP
FIntegrate Technology
HC3
Kristopher James Company
LemonadeLXP
Purple Wave Auction
Revio Insight
SHAZAM
SRM
SQN Banking Systems
 Whitley Penn LLP
 Blue Ribbon Sponsors
 
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Dolphin Debit Access, LLC
Kameo Marketing LLC
OAK Bank Services

  
SBS CyberSecurity, LLC
SW Graduate School of Banking - SMU
Zelus Automation Platform, LLC

Exhibit Encounters


5ironCyber
AccuBranch
Advantage Health Plans Trust
Agent IQ
Bedel Security
CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP)
Community Capital Technology
CP Insurance Associates
Curated Cyber
Data Business Equipment, Inc. (DBE)
Digital Onboarding, Inc.
Eide Bailly LLP
  
Eltropy
FIntegrate Technology
Forvis Mazars
Glory Global Solutions
HC3
HuLoop
Independent Community Bankers of America®
Integris
IntraFi
Ironcore, Inc.
Kristopher James Company
LemonadeLXP
  
Main Street, Inc.
Ncontracts
NuSource
Purple Wave Auction
Revio Insight
S&P Global Market Intelligence
SRM
Texas National Bank (Bankers Lender)
The Baker Group
TransFund
QSI