Sara McCarty Receives OBL Leadership Award
COLUMBUS, Ohio,—Sara McCarty, vice president of commercial lending at Portage Community Bank, has received the 2026 Next Generation Leadership Award from the Ohio Bankers League. Presented annually at the OBL Next Gen Conference, the award recognizes emerging leaders in Ohio’s banking industry who demonstrate innovation, integrity, collaboration and a commitment to the future of community…
ICBA Applauds House Passage of Housing Bill
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America welcomed final House passage of bipartisan housing legislation that includes regulatory reforms the association said will help community banks expand lending and improve housing affordability. The measure includes several ICBA-supported provisions designed to ease regulatory burdens and promote the formation and growth of community banks. The legislation now advances…
Basel Proposal Called Step in Right Direction
WASHINGTON,—The banking agencies’ revised Basel capital proposal represents a significant improvement over the 2023 version, but additional changes are needed to eliminate areas of over-capitalization and better align capital requirements with risk, the American Bankers Association and four other financial trade groups said in a joint comment letter. The letter was signed by the ABA,…
ICBA Launches Campaign on Crypto Regulation
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America has launched an advocacy campaign urging policymakers to apply stronger regulatory standards to cryptocurrency products and services, saying consumers and local communities could be harmed if digital asset firms are not subject to the same oversight as banks. The campaign argues community banks play a critical role in supporting…
ICBA Renews Call for Credit Union Transparency
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America is urging federal policymakers to require tax-exempt federal credit unions to file IRS Form 990 following an alleged $95 million embezzlement scheme at Jackson Area Federal Credit Union in Mississippi. ICBA said requiring federal credit unions to file the annual information return—required of nearly all other tax-exempt organizations—would improve…
ICBA, IAFCI Release Fraud Partnership Guide
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America and the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators have released a guide designed to help community banks and law enforcement strengthen partnerships to prevent and prosecute financial crimes. The guide, “Community Banks and Law Enforcement: A Partnership Framework for Mutual Success,” outlines strategies for information sharing, coordinated investigations, public…
Banking Groups Propose Third-Party Risk Reforms
WASHINGTON,—The Consumer Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America and other financial services organizations have released a report urging federal banking agencies to modernize third-party risk management guidance to reflect today’s technology environment. The report says existing supervisory expectations were developed before banks became heavily dependent on cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other third-party technology…
ABA, Banking Groups Welcome NCUA Rule on Interchange Fees
WASHINGTON,—The American Bankers Association and several financial services organizations welcomed a National Credit Union Administration interim final rule affirming that federal law preempts the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act as it applies to federal credit unions. The groups said the rule provides additional legal support for their ongoing challenge to the Illinois law and reinforces…
ICBA Welcomes AI Executive Order
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America welcomed an executive order promoting advanced artificial intelligence innovation and security, saying it recognizes community banks as a critical infrastructure component and supports broader access to AI security resources. ICBA said the order incorporates elements of its AI action plan by directing federal agencies to strengthen cybersecurity and expand…
ICBA Releases AI Security Guide
WASHINGTON,—The Independent Community Bankers of America has released a guide to help community banks address the growing cybersecurity and operational challenges associated with artificial intelligence. Developed by members of ICBA’s AI Task Force, the Community Banker AI Security Readiness Guide provides practical guidance on AI-related security risks, third-party due diligence, incident response planning and other…