ABA Banking Journal Podcast

In a bonus episode recorded at ABA's Annual Convention in New York this morning, ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols discusses new numbers from Morning Consult showing that nearly nine in 10 Americans are satisfied or very satisfied with their banks -- and he digs deeper into a letter he sent this morning to the big three core processors, calling on them to empower banks with the modern, innovative tools they need to compete effectively in today’s marketplace.

Iowa community bank CEO Peg Scott discusses how she teamed up with investors in her community to keep Union State Bank independent and provides advice for community bankers seeking to follow the same path. She also discusses the agricultural economy in Iowa and how trade tensions are affecting the ag sector; the Iowa Bankers Association’s effort to equalize the tax treatment of Iowa banks and credit unions; and her continuing career as a family farmer and how banks are helping young and beginning farmers

Luanne Cundiff was one of six community business leaders and the only banker to join an Oval Office meeting today with President Trump and members of his cabinet. In this bonus episode, she recaps the event and shares her message to the president: that while much has been done on the regulatory reform front, there's more to do. Cundiff also discusses the importance of being the only representative of banks in the room and how the health of banks fuels the health of the overall economy.

In the more than eight years since the Dodd-Frank Act passed, just 13 new U.S. banks have been chartered. Ken Burgess is concerned about these numbers. In this episode, he discusses his own experience founding a bank and how going through that process shaped his skills and career path as a banker. He also talks about regulatory and economic reasons for the de novo drought, and how de novos infuse entrepreneurial energy into the banking industry and fuel the diversity of ways that banks meet community needs.

This week, ABA’s legal team provides a preview of key cases in the Supreme Court’s 2018-19 term and their significance for banks. Among these cases: whether state law can preempt the National Bank Act; testing the limits of “Chevron deference”; whether an employee is liable for false statements made unknowingly on behalf of an employer; whether the FDCPA applies to nonjudicial mortgage foreclosures; and how the court views federal preemption.

ABA VP Krista Shonk outlines the process for modernizing Community Reinvestment Act regulations and how bankers can get involved. Shonk details what’s in the OCC’s August advance notice of proposed rulemaking. She also explains that the OCC will share public comments on the ANPR with the other banking agencies, informing the interagency process of modernizing CRA rules. For that reason, she encourages all banks to send a comment letter by Nov. 19. Learn more at aba.com/ModernizingCRA.

Huntington Bank is building a new nationwide vertical to provide specialized banking services to technology, media and telecommunications firms. Scott Webster discusses the strategy behind how banks serve the needs of the businesses in these capital-intensive sectors. These large and middle-market businesses are going through rapid innovations such as 5G wireless and the internet of things, as well as consolidation within and across sectors.

Clay Ewing is president and chief banking officer of a community bank with a name that reflects its heritage — but German American Bank is well ahead in developing a well-rounded community bank model that thrives. Ewing discusses German American’s busy but deliberate pace of acquisitions and how its insurance business — the largest bank-owned agency in Indiana — and its growing wealth management unit complement its core banking products.

As the nation commemorates the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, learn how one community bank uses the occasion to honor military personnel, veterans and first responders. Through its Step Forward campaign, which runs between Sept. 11 and Veterans Day on Nov. 11, Mars Bank compiles stories of local service members, veterans, policy, fire and emergency personnel to "promote the good and the activity that these individuals provide to us on a regular basis," says Jim Dionise, president and CEO.

On the season two premiere, banking legend Chip Mahan provides his wide-ranging outlook on bank technology, small business lending and the customer experience. Mahan discusses how cloud computing providers can bring processing costs down significantly; how Live Oak Bank and nCino’s proprietary loan origination software streamlined the customer experience; how Live Oak invests in an employee experience that attracts top talent; and how the $3.4 billion bank grew into the nation’s largest SBA 7(a) lender.

Listen in for a brief preview of Season 2 of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, which starts on Sept. 5.

Evan Sparks tells the story of nine young bankers who changed America. In this episode, you’ll hear about how 27-year-old Alexander Hamilton founded the nation’s first commercial bank; Maggie Walker, the daughter of a freed slave who became the first woman to open a U.S. bank; the Tennessee community bank technologist who won the race to launch home computer banking; the junior bank officer who put together what would become the Visa network; and more.

When asked which provision of S. 2155 would be most meaningful to them, community bankers were most likely to rank the policy change to make most reciprocal deposits non-brokered. Two community bankers explain how using reciprocal deposits can help banks compete for large-dollar deposits from local businesses, nonprofits and civic institutions by providing FDIC insurance in excess of the $250,000 limit and lock in low-cost deposit funding.

Former Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna joins ABA VP Brian Murphy to discuss: how synthetic ID fraud differs from traditional identity theft and why it’s harder to root out; strategies and technologies banks are using to prevent and stop synthetic ID theft; how community banks can apply resources to tackle this problem; and a key provision in S. 2155 that helps by requiring the Social Security Administration to create a registry that banks can use verify the validity of SSNs.

With members of Congress heading home during August, it's a perfect opportunity for bankers to host lawmakers using ABA's Take Your Lawmaker to Work program. For a little more inspiration, listen to Jennifer Luce's story of building a grassroots advocacy network at FirstBank. Luce also discusses advocacy partnerships and training with ABA and the Colorado Bankers Association, how FirstBank has seen success through hosting lawmakers for in-branch visits and how FirstBank develops future leaders.