Once we assemble at LIVE, it’s about coming collectively to ignite the eagerness for neighborhood banking on behalf of our communities in a method 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 our shared mission, imaginative and prescient and values.
In lots of instances, we’re not solely a selected household; we’re associated by blood as nicely. Many people are fourth- or fifth-generation neighborhood bankers, embodying a protracted household custom of caring for neighborhood. We’re passing that ethos down, too. In reality, we have now extra youngsters attending LIVE this 12 months than we have now up 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 carry 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 12 months’s theme for ICBA LIVE is “Gentle the Fireplace. Gentle the Means.” Not solely are we wanting on the subsequent technology of leaders amongst us; we’re additionally specializing in what we are able to do immediately to protect and develop neighborhood banks’ affect. 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 these difficult 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, once we assemble at LIVE, it’s about coming collectively to ignite the eagerness for neighborhood banking on behalf of our communities in a method 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 additionally nice alternatives. Once we come collectively, the vitality that arises helps us collectively determine the trail ahead. Then, we carry our heads up and tackle the technical and nuanced points of what we do with a give attention to the long-term way forward for the business. We create progress and momentum.
However probably essentially the most rewarding a part of LIVE is the chance to satisfy 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, 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 may form the way forward for the business.
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
Join with Rebeca @romerorainey