After we assemble at LIVE, it’s about coming collectively to ignite the eagerness for neighborhood banking on behalf of our communities in a means that strikes the business ahead.
The Hawaiian phrase for household is ‘ohana, and as we put together to move to Honolulu for ICBA LIVE subsequent month, I’m struck by how a lot that phrase describes this neighborhood. We’re a household of neighborhood bankers, supporting each other and our communities by way of our shared mission, imaginative and prescient and values.
In lots of circumstances, we’re not solely a selected household; we’re associated by blood as nicely. Many people are fourth- or fifth-generation neighborhood bankers, embodying an extended household custom of caring for neighborhood. We’re passing that ethos down, too. In reality, we have now extra kids attending LIVE this yr than we have now prior to now, and I can’t assist however consider the rising neighborhood financial institution leaders that could be proper in entrance of us and all they may convey to the business.
The place I’ll be this month
I’ll be sharing the neighborhood financial institution perspective and talking on the Federal Reserve Financial institution of Atlanta’s Again to the Future: 2023 Banking Outlook Convention.
So, it’s becoming that this yr’s theme for ICBA LIVE is “Mild the Hearth. Mild the Method.” Not solely are we trying on the subsequent era of leaders amongst us; we’re additionally specializing in what we will do at present to protect and develop neighborhood banks’ impression. It’s by no means been extra necessary to maintain that flame of neighborhood banking spreading all through the nation.
Our communities want our continued assist by way of these sophisticated financial occasions. They want us to stay advocates for his or her wants. They want us to proceed to serve them as folks, not as transactions. So, after we assemble at LIVE, it’s about coming collectively to ignite the eagerness for neighborhood banking on behalf of our communities in a means that strikes the business ahead.
As we take a look at the continued tempo of change, we’re met with our fair proportion of challenges but in addition nice alternatives. After we come collectively, the power that arises helps us collectively determine the trail ahead. Then, we elevate our heads up and handle the technical and nuanced elements of what we do with a deal with the long-term way forward for the business. We create progress and momentum.
However probably probably the most rewarding a part of LIVE is the chance to fulfill fellow neighborhood bankers from across the nation. These hallway conversations the place we share anecdotes and make new connections exemplify who we’re as neighborhood bankers. That sense of ‘ohana shines by way of, as a result of in neighborhood banking we’re extra than simply enterprise leaders. We’re a household, and I hope to see you at LIVE to assist us construct the relationships that can form the way forward for the business.
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
Join with Rebeca @romerorainey