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Virtually all banks engage in strategic planning, but how do they ensure the strategic plan actually drives performance and doesn't just get left in a binder on the shelf? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Q2 Software — Exchange Bank's Kevin Bender discusses tactics for making strategic planning a process that engages employees and board members in the future of the bank, drives prioritization of scarce resources and identifies each bank's biggest opportunities. Bender will join Joseph Cady to discuss six components for every bank's strategic plan at the ABA Annual Convention, Oct. 25-27 in Salt Lake City. Early-bird registration ends on July 31.

What kind of difference can a single ratio make? In a new ABA DataBank essay, ABA's Patrick Mitchell and Brittany Kleinpaste discuss the FDIC's 2% Designated Reserve Ratio target for the Deposit Insurance Fund. This target — established by statute but set at the FDIC's discretion — is a level higher than the DIF's Minimum Reserve Ratio of 1.35%, and it has been 2% since it was first established in 2010. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Q2 Software — Mitchell and Kleinpaste discuss the simulations that were used to set the ratio 16 years ago and why it might be time for the FDIC to revisit them. Incorporating data going back to the savings and loan crisis, the simulation is not based on the most current data. It also relied on banks' provisioning data amid the post-financial crisis fallout without taking into account the lower ultimate cost of bank failures. Ultimately, an up-to-date simulation incorporating more current data may allow the FDIC to meet its goals of covering the industry with a different ratio. Read Mitchell and Kleinpaste's essay and a related technical analysis.

On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by Q2 Software — ABA economist Dan Brown discusses the recent release of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data for 2025. He examines several trends, including the varying composition of bank mortgage loans in different regions, where banks face the stiffest nonbank competition in the mortgage market, a recent rebound in refinancings and a growing generation gap in homebuying activity.

To mark the 250th anniversary of Independence Day this week, this classic replay episode of the ABA Banking Journal — sponsored by Q2 Software — explores the role of banking and finance in the American Revolution and the founding era. John Steele Gordon is an acclaimed economic historian whose books include Hamilton's Blessing, The Great Game and An Empire of Wealth; he is also the ABA Banking Journal's "From the Vault" columnist. In this episode, Gordon discusses: How not having any chartered banks prior to 1782 put the United States at a disadvantage during the Revolution. Conversely, how the Bank of England was a "secret weapon" for Britain during the war. The role of patriotic financiers like Robert Morris in achieving U.S. victory. The debates over a central bank in the post-revolutionary period and how they contributed to the development of the Constitution.

Adam Metz, the newly appointed president and CEO of Central Pennsylvania-based Orrstown Bank, joins the ABA Banking Journal Podcast to discuss the bank's strategy and growth, its dedicated innovation group, how the bank is using AI and the bank's client-focused talent strategy.

On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, ABA's Heather Trew breaks down recent news about the president's executive order on illegal immigration and the financial system and the advisory from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the OCC, the FDIC and others on red flags associated with illegal immigration. Trew covers: An overview of the executive order and advisory Financial typologies of suspicious activity linked to illegal immigration that FinCEN has identified — for individual consumers, small businesses and large businesses Scrutiny on the use of individual taxpayer identification numbers, or ITINs, to open accounts, and the technical complexities of differentiating between ITINs and other identifiers How banks can stay in the loop on developments, particularly future changes to the customer due diligence and customer identification program rules

On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Texas banker Ryan Coaxum joins the show to discuss how he was welcomed into the banking community as an employee, and how he tries to bring that same feeling of welcome to the people he serves in his job as head of community development and external affairs at Moody Bank. "You want to feel wanted, you want to feel like what you are doing, no matter what scale you're on, that it is important to them. And that's what I'm trying to get out, specifically in communities that are underserved or underbanked," says Coaxum. He discusses what the community development function looks like at Moody Bank, including its participation in the Bank On program and its Palm Pathways mortgage program. Coaxum, a past winner of the ABA Emerging Leader Award and current chair of ABA's Emerging Leaders Council, also talks about how being involved in ABA as an emerging leader has boosted his career and helped him dive into advocacy on behalf of the industry. This episode is presented by Nexcess. Apply for an Emerging Leader Award by June 26.

In an environment with higher-yielding options, how can banks compete for effectively for deposits? On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Marc Womack, who leads the U.S. consumer deposits franchise at TD Bank, discusses his approach to maximizing data, customizing deposit offerings, developing valuable product bundles and using both physical and digital touchpoints to meet consumer needs. "There is a lot of money in movement and people are looking to optimize yield, but they're balancing that with their overall financial goals and are not just making the exclusive decision to go with an institution just because they have the highest yield," Womack says. "That may be the only product or service that they actually offer that customer needs at that particular point in time, and they may have other needs that are broader than that one particular product or service."

As a community bank president and past chair of the Ohio Bankers League, Jenny Saunders has been part of many conversations with top policymakers on bank issues. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Saunders, who recently retired as president of FCBank, discusses how she discussed stablecoin and cryptocurrency issues with members of Congress. "If there's something that you don't necessarily agree with, then what's the solution?" Saunders encourages bankers to think through how to describe alternatives, as well as unintentional consequences of particular approaches — and to find common ground on issues like fraud where bankers can find common ground across the policy community. Saunders also discusses her experience leading in banks of all sizes, career advice for bankers and what the bank policy landscape looks like from the Buckeye State. This episode is presented by Nexcess.

Over the past two decades, Pennsylvania-based F.N.B. Corporation has grown its assets from roughly $5.4 billion to $50 billion, grown its net operating income by a similar ratio and more than doubled its retail footprint. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — presented by Nexcess — Chairman, President and CEO Vincent Delie discusses his approach to growing the franchise and how F.N.B. is investing in its employees' capabilities. Among other topics, Delie discusses: F.N.B.'s balance of organic growth and M&A and the role of culture in this growth. The bank's strategy of hiring data scientists to help the company break down silos and better target customers' needs. F.N.B.'s "e-store" concept and how it supports the bank's "clicks to bricks" retail strategy. The role of AI in recommending tailored products and providing holistic financial wellness advice, as well as strengthening bank credit and anti-fraud functions. This episode is presented by Nexcess: