| Thursday, June 26
10:30-11:30 a.m.
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Leadership/Strategy |
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Compensation for Leadership in the Bank
Kelly Earls and Rob Barton, BCC
In today's fierce competition for top talent, community banks need more than just competitive salaries to stand out. This session dives into the art and science of crafting compensation strategies that not only attract high-performing leaders but also inspire long-term loyalty and drive results. Explore innovative approaches, real-world examples and actionable insights to help your bank build a leadership team that is motivated, committed and aligned with your long-term goals.
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Operations
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A Tactical Guide to Growing Your Bank (Panel)
Shannon Adams, Deluxe Merchant Services (Moderator) and Brad Womack, Kleberg Bank
Community banks play a vital role in local economies—but in a rapidly evolving financial landscape, growth requires more than strong relationships. It demands smart strategy, digital adaptability and a clear understanding of customer needs.
This panel brings together experienced community banking leaders and industry experts to share practical, tactical approaches to sustainable growth. Topics will include modern customer acquisition methods, deepening local engagement, leveraging digital tools without losing the personal touch and navigating regulatory and competitive pressures.
Walk away with actionable insights and proven strategies designed specifically to help community banks grow while staying true to their mission and values.
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Risk Management
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Building a Winning Strategy to Grow Retail Checking Accounts
Jennifer Simmons, ADVANTAGE, Powered by JMFA
This session will discuss the tools and insights needed to create and implement a strategic plan for growing retail checking accounts. Whether your institution is looking to expand its customer base, increase core deposits, deepen engagement or strengthen brand loyalty, this session will provide actionable steps to achieve your goals while staying true to your community-based values.
Key Learning Points:
- Understand consumer trends in preferences, behaviors and expectations, and how to meet their needs.
- Discover hot to attract more primary accountholders and generate lasting value for your institution.
- Explore effective strategies to enhance engagement and loyalty through relevant, timely and personalized experiences.
- Learn how to align your acquisition strategy with your institution's commitment to community-focused values.
- Gain insights into how to better position your bank as the go-to financial partner in your market—today and into the future.
Join us for this impactful session to refine your approach, outpace the competition and solidify your place as a trusted financial institution in the eyes of your customers.
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Wildcard
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Looking Through Your Legacy Lens: Turning Insight Into Action
Julie Schniers, Executive Coach and Consultant
You've just learned how to LEAN IN with the 3 C's—Communication, Connection and Confidence—but now it's time to roll up your sleeves and take it one step further. In this hands-on breakout session, we'll move beyond inspiration into implementation. This isn't a lecture. It's a leadership lab. We'll unpack the practical tools introduced in the keynote and give you the space—and strategy—to apply them directly to your work, your team and your influence. Expect guided reflection, small group interaction and real-world scenarios that challenge you to think bigger and lead better. At the heart of this session is the Legacy Lens—a powerful framework that helps you assess how you're showing up as a leader, how others experience you and what you're leaving behind in every room you enter. Because leadership isn't just about results—it's about ripple effects. Whether you're leading a branch, managing a team or influencing community partnerships, this breakout equips you to step forward with greater confidence, clearer focus and a renewed commitment to lead with lasting impact. Because how you lead today... shapes how you're remembered tomorrow.
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| Thursday, June 26
1:30-2:30 p.m.
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Leadership/Strategy
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Strengthening the Culture in my Bank (Panel)
Eric Alexander, Six Arrows Consulting (Moderator), Shannalea Taylor, The Bank & Trust, SSB and Brett McDowell, Victory Bank
We all talk about the importance of culture—but what does it really mean in the context of banking? How do you define it, measure it and most importantly, shape it into something that drives performance and purpose? In this insightful panel session, seasoned bank leaders will share how they've navigated the often intangible world of organizational culture. You'll walk away with practical strategies to better understand your institution's cultural DNA and actionable ideas to make it stronger, more resilient and aligned with your mission.
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Risk Management
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Due Diligence Partnering with Fintech
Steven Khoury, Forvis Mazars
Discover the essential due diligence steps that can make or break community banks when forming fintech partnerships. In this session, we'll explore key considerations—including compliance, security, scalability and cultural fit—that every community bank must evaluate before teaming up with a fintech provider. Gain practical insights and a clear checklist to confidently assess potential fintech partners and build collaborations that enhance your bank's service offerings and strengthen community impact.
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Wildcard
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Finding Your Team Focus: Aligning Vision, Goals and Growth
Julie Schniers, Executive Coach and Consultant
Strong teams don't happen by accident—they're built with intention, clarity and collective purpose. In this breakout session, you'll get the practical jumpstart your team needs to move from scattered efforts to shared success. Designed as a guided launch into strategic planning, this session will help you clarify your team's direction, align around a common vision and create actionable goals that actually stick. Whether you're leading a high-performing team or rebuilding trust and focus, this experience meets you where you are—and helps you chart the course forward. You'll walk through a simplified planning process that can help you help your team navigate what's next. Through interactive activities, coaching-style prompts and small group collaboration, you'll be able to start crafting a roadmap that's not only strategic but meaningful. Whether you're in a branch, department or executive role, this session helps you leave with more than just ideas—you'll walk away with the foundation to create a customized team focus plan you can build on immediately.
Because when your team gets focused, everyone moves forward.
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Friday, June 27
7:30-8:30 a.m.
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Operations
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How to Strengthen Your Identity and Access Management
Cal Roberson, Integris
Before diving into Identity and Access Management (IAM), community banks need to establish critical security measures that set the stage for success. This dynamic session will explore key strategies for protecting your data, empowering your team through effective training and securing your network against evolving threats. You'll walk away with actionable insights and practical steps to strengthen your bank's defenses—ensuring your institution is fully prepared to implement IAM with confidence. Don't miss this opportunity to safeguard your bank's assets and customer information with a proactive, fortified security approach!
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Risk Management |
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Stablecoin: Navigating a New Regulatory Landscape
Patrick Hanchey, Alston & Bird LLP
Join Patrick Hanchey as he unpacks the evolving regulatory landscape shaped by recent federal stablecoin legislation. Gain critical insights into the implications for community banks and discover practical strategies to confidently navigate this rapidly changing environment. Whether you're looking to stay compliant or seize new opportunities, this session will equip you with the knowledge to move forward with clarity and confidence.
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Credit/Lending
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The Current Loan Market (Panel)
Garrett Smith, Community Capital Technology Inc. (Moderator), Jalen Bauman, Hill Country National Bank, Alan Clark, VeraBank and Michael Cook, Brady National Bank
A timely discussion on today's lending environment, this panel explores key trends in credit demand, risk management and portfolio strategy—offering community banks practical insights to navigate market shifts and meet borrower needs with confidence.
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Friday, June 27
10:45-11:45 a.m.
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Leadership/Strategy
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Asset/Liability Management in Today's Environment
Dale Sheller, The Baker Group
As 2025 unfolds, the banking sector faces renewed economic uncertainties shaped by the aftermath of recent elections and the potential for additional Federal Reserve Interest rate cuts. Senior leaders are challenged with managing high interest rates, tightening margins and the looming risk of an economic slowdown. This dynamic environment demands proactive, forward-thinking strategies. Join us for an insightful session where we'll explore practical approaches and innovative solutions to help your bank confidently navigate the challenges ahead and emerge stronger in uncertain times.
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Operations
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What's Your Transformation Strategy? Best Practices for Maximizing Your FIs Potential
Scott Weston, Diebold Nixdorf
As community banks face growing pressure to deliver better customer experiences while managing costs, the role of branches and self-service channels is more critical—and more complex—than ever. How do you design a channel strategy that meets evolving customer expectations, supports operational goals and delivers long-term value?
In this session, we'll explore a strategic approach to navigating today's increasingly complex, technology-driven landscape—and walk through the key steps to building a tailored roadmap that aligns with your institution's goals and evolving consumer expectations.
Join us to learn how to:
- Harness consumer research and data analytics to uncover true market demand
- Use geospatial analysis to optimize the number, format and location of your service touchpoints
- Create the perfect blend of branch and self-service functionalities that elevate customer experience while boosting efficiency.
Whether you're starting your transformation journey or refining an existing plan, this session will equip you with practical insights and tools to build a roadmap that delivers real business value in today's competitive financial landscape.
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Risk Management
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How Are You Navigating the Core Conversation?
Matthew Smith, Bankers Helping Bankers and Tanner Mayo, FedFis
Core systems aren't always top of mind for community bankers—but they should be. Behind the scenes, major shifts in core consolidation and acquisitions are reshaping the industry in ways that can't be ignored. If your bank is considering changes to your LOS, Internet Banking, Core or related systems, this session is a must-attend. We'll dig into current data trends, explore real-world implications and break down both the opportunities and challenges these changes present—so you can make informed, strategic decisions for your institution's future.
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Credit/Lending |
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How to Generate More Profit and Add More Discipline and Consistency to Your Pricing Process
Dan Roderick, Strunk
Let's face it —many bankers still rely on instinct, competitor matching of the "good customer discount" when it comes to pricing. But in today's competitive landscape, is that enough to win and retain the right business? In this interactive session, we'll challenge traditional pricing habits and dive into smarter, more strategic approaches. You'll learn how to bring consistency, discipline and transparency to your pricing process—without losing lender buy-in. We'll explore key factors to consider when setting rates on both loans and deposits and share practical tools for improving profitability while building trust with your team and customers.
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Friday, June 27
1:30-2:30 p.m.
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Leadership/Strategy
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Attracting and Retaining Top Talent
Bill Chittenden, SWGSB - SMU
Your people are your greatest asset—and the key to your bank's long-term success. What if you could ignite your team's full potential—and keep that momentum going? In this high-impact session, you'll uncover the key drivers of employee engagement and learn how to shape a culture where motivation thrives and commitment runs deep. Walk away with powerful, easy-to-implement tools designed to fuel performance, boost morale and a build a team that doesn't just meet expectations—but exceeds them.
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Operations
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A Fraudster's Paradise
Crissy Terry and Angelica Larranaga, ePay Resources
Bank fraud has become a playground for criminals, exploiting everything from traditional check schemes to cutting-edge digital attacks. In this dynamic session, we'll uncover the latest fraud trends shaking the financial industry and equip you with practical strategies to protect your institution.
This session will cover a wide range of fraud risks—including checks, online banking, instant payments, wire transfers and debit cards—arming you with the knowledge you need to stay one step ahead. This is more than a presentation; it's an interactive conversation. Bring your experiences, challenges and questions, and let's collaborate to strengthen our defenses and fight fraud together.
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Risk Management
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Data: The Foundation of Successful AI Implementation
Fabio Biasella, Engage fi
Artificial Intelligence is transforming the banking industry—but without a strong data foundation, even the most promising AI initiatives can fall short. This session dives into how banks can harness emerging AI trends by first mastering their data strategy. Discover why high-quality, well-organized data is the critical fuel that powers successful AI models and seamlessly integrates intelligent solutions into your product and services.
Join us to learn how to prepare your data to not only support today's AI ambitions but to future-proof your organization's AI journey. Walk away with actionable insights to align your data and AI strategies, ensuring you're ready to invest confidently in AI-driven innovation that delivers real business value.
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Wildcard
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Leading the Brand Inside and Out: Empowering Employees and Elevating Experience
Kathrynn Cavanaugh, Kameo Marketing
In community banking, brand and culture go hand-in-hand—and it all starts with leadership. This workshop will explore how executives and senior bankers can drive brand success from the inside out by aligning internal culture with customer experience. You'll learn how to turn employees into confident brand ambassadors, create consistent messaging across departments and understand why marketing isn't just the job of one team—it's everyone's responsibility.
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