Community bankers deride revised IRS reporting proposal
Community bankers are continuing to deride President Joe Biden’s IRS reporting proposal, even after the threshold was raised. [Continue]
Writer: Sam Wilmes
More than money needed to attract talent
Recruiters say a complicating facet of attracting and retaining key bank employees is a surplus of retirement-age bankers and the deficit of college graduates entering the industry. Stuart Kazor at Omaha, Neb.-based financial recruiting firm Adams Inc., noted other industries or roles, especially fintechs and IT positions, are more lucrative. [Continue]
Communication, doc reviews key in M&As
Strong communication with employees to ease uncertainty and ensure proper governance is essential in successful M&A transactions. [Continue]
Bankers should embrace data and tech in branch decisions
Community bankers should use data to modify physical branch settings as Covid-19 and increased mobile banking usage continue to transform the industry. [Continue]
Numerous tax changes proposed in Congressional bills
Congressional spending proposals are expected to have fewer adverse impacts for community banks than originally anticipated but still require further evaluation, said Eide Bailly partners Paul Sirek and John Fischer during the Bank Holding Company Association’s annual fall conference. [Continue]
High inflation likely a long-term trend
U.S. GDP growth will likely slow next year as the economy returns to pre-pandemic levels, said United Bankers’ Bank Vice President of Risk Management James Nowak. [Continue]
Bankers must consider many factors during M&As
Community bankers need to consider a number of factors when embarking on M&As, according to CliftonLarsenAllen CPAs Joshua Juergensen and David Heneke. [Continue]
Banks bump wages, offer perks to attract workers
Longtime Iowa community banker Darlys Hulme is well aware of the challenges community banks face in attracting and keeping employees. Hulme, president of Farmers Savings Bank & Trust in Traer, noted her organization recently increased starting teller wages from $15 to $19 per hour, a change she expects will be permanent as the bank continues seeing fewer younger candidates apply. Compounding the issue, other employers are trying to hire away her top-level employees, forcing her to also bump officer salaries to retain talent. [Continue]
Community banker optimism drops in quarterly CSBS study
Community bankers are more pessimistic over future business conditions than earlier this year, according to the most recent Community Bank Sentiment Index. [Continue]
Community banks’ location, reputation key attractions in M&As
Community bank leaders looking to sell their institutions can create more value through growing organically and by highlighting their location and status as legacy financial institutions, says Kirk Hovde, managing principal and head of investment banking at Hovde Group. Hovde and Curtis Carpenter, Hovde senior managing director, discussed the challenges and opportunities they see in future bank consolidations on Monday during the Bank Holding Company Association Conference in Bloomington, Minn. [Continue]