ICBA Education Seminars and Institutes

Offered quarterly in half-day sessions, each of the Bank Directors Forums will cover a unique topic, such as cybersecurity, enterprise risk management, corporate governance and more. No two sessions will be the same. See Agenda below for this session's topic.

Join ICBA Education and fraud expert Barry Thompson for a fast-moving seminar that will prepare you to identify and protect your bank's reputation and assets. Benefit from the interactive format and expert instruction and leave with essential knowledge and tools that you can implement immediately.  

Most banks that access their ICBA membership benefit to listen to the customer voice have been previously running their own in-house survey(s) with an online software tool. If that’s your bank, 2025 is a year for improvement!

Recent changes to Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules, stemming from the SECURE Act, the CARES Act, and the updated life expectancy tables, have significantly impacted IRA administration. As RMDs become an increasingly important part of financial organizations’ services, particularly as the baby boomer generation ages, it is essential to stay up to date with the latest regulatory changes.

In today’s digital age, social media is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, educating consumers, and engaging with customers. In this session, we will explore effective strategies for leveraging social media to engage with account holders, promote products and services, and raise awareness about fraud and scams.

Dr. Lindsey Piegza is the Chief Economist for Stifel Financial. In her role Dr. Piegza translates economic data and market moving events to assist institutional and private wealth clients in better understanding today’s economy and making thoughtful investment decisions. She specializes in the research and analysis of economic trends and activity, world economies, financial markets, and monetary and fiscal policies. Prior to her role with Stifel, she was the Senior Economist for an investment bank in New York for eight years consulting clients in the U.S., Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Many leaders struggle to develop and apply essential management skills, hindering their ability to drive business success. This session offers a checklist of important management tips to improve business development, bank management, and marketing efforts, providing a solid foundation for ongoing success.

The formal requirements for financial institution compliance under the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) are significant. With the regulatory agencies committing to tougher and more inclusive BSA/AML examinations, it is important to make certain your BSA/AML program is appropriate for your institution's risk exposure. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a critical enabler for businesses all around the world. Financial institutions have much to gain in using this new technology to improve back-office operations, drive customer engagement, and improve resource effectiveness in departmental operations. However, there are significant regulatory and compliance risks and considerations that must be evaluated and mitigated in order to utilize the new technology to broaden effectiveness. Review key security and compliance risks, appropriate tools for management and mitigation, and how to plan effective scaling of operations while leveraging automation and artificial intelligence.

Financial institutions must build and maintain high-performing boards to drive success and navigate complex challenges. Focused on key corporate governance issues, emerging trends, and how to enhance stakeholder value, this session will provide actionable insights to help directors fulfill their core obligations and meet their fiduciary duties with confidence. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to build a better, more effective board that supports long-term organizational success.

Federal Reserve Financial Services will transition the Fedwire ® Funds Service to the ISO ® 20022 format on July 14, 2025. With this deadline fast approaching, it’s essential to take steps to ensure your institution is fully prepared. This informative session will guide attendees through the process of testing and confirming ISO 20022 message exchanges with their peers, and simulating real-world scenarios to ensure seamless processing of payments (e.g., ensuring incoming funds are credited to the correct parties).

Best Community Banks to Work For is an employee-climate research pulse that doubles as a competition with marketing perks. Results are collected in August and winners are announced early December. Join the brief, informative webinar to learn about the design, components, and complimentary reporting included (Administered by Avannis, the PSP for employee and customer experience feedback).

From attrition catches, sales opportunities mined from your current customer base, and concrete direction that prevents your team from guessing on any number of topics, your bank will positively cash flow with a customer experience program. Don't re-invent the wheel!

Save $100 when you register for the bundled Loan Review and the Advanced Loan Review Seminars.

Ensure the physical safety of your bank, staff, and customers. Cover everything from the basics of bank security to some situations you may not have even prepared for.

The loan review process is critical to the success of any community bank. This process must be structured and requires policies and procedures to ensure timely identification of problem credits, asset quality, and accuracy. The process must also include well-defined classification guidelines to ensure consistent loan ratings.

The commercial real estate investment market is facing challenges, with concerns about cash flow and property valuations. This has led to increased scrutiny from regulators. As an analyst, underwriter, or commercial banker, it is essential to understand how to manage credit risk with real estate borrowers. This session will explore current market trends in residential, office, and investment real estate while attendees learn best practices for underwriting, from the initial request to the final payment, and key warning signs of potential issues.