Category: From the Chairman

Educated customers form stronger relationships with their community banks. They are more likely to repay loans, live within their means and maintain higher balances.

It’s our responsibility to help make our communities better places to live, to help pull people out of poverty and address issues they’re facing.

This is our moment to communicate just what it means to be a community bank.

In today’s marketplace, we can’t be afraid to experiment and fail. Let’s embrace some out-of-the-box, entrepreneurial thinking to attack our problem areas.

One of my early mentors told me, ‘It’s often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.’ That piece of advice has … allowed us to be a little more progressive as a bank.

Culture is more than just how bank staff interact with one another; it’s about how we convey who we are to our customers.

In today’s climate, our voices are vital not only to the future of financial services, but to the millions of small businesses and consumers who depend upon us.

Despite everything, we remain a thriving network of community banks, united in our common passion for and commitment to our communities.

Community banking relies on connection. And in today’s digital-first—but Zoom-fatigued—environment, it’s more important than ever that we find new ways to make those connections stick.

To succeed in this environment, we must focus on the things we can control and remain positive, and that’s become my daily mantra.