Turning Missed Moments into Meaningful Connections:
How AI Drives Deposit Growth by Amplifying the Human Touch in Community Banking By Tracy Graham Community banks have long had a competitive edge: deep, trusted relationships with their customers. But in today’s environment—where digital expectations meet lean staffing and fragmented systems—even these relationship-driven institutions face new challenges. Large banks are investing billions in artificial…
How AI is Modernizing Payment Card Personalization in a Regulated World
By Mehdi Heidari As artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the financial services industry, its creative and analytical capabilities are unlocking entirely new possibilities in payment card personalization and issuance. Once purely functional tools for securing transactions, payment cards are now evolving into powerful lifestyle statements—expressions of identity that customers carry with them every day. This shift…
7 Goals to Revisit Before the Final Stretch of 2025
With just a few months left in 2025, it is a good time to reflect on your financial institution’s goals. Are you where you expected to be? Let’s take a closer look at seven goals many community banks and credit unions are working toward. For each, consider these timely questions as you assess your progress….
Choosing an ATM Management Company
By Joe Woods The ATM sector continues to evolve. Just over the past three years we’ve seen two ATM ISO & outsourcing companies shut their doors due to criminal activity, one top ATM company file chapter 11 bankruptcy and another top ATM company split into two. And these are just the headline events. Many other…
Midwest Cannabis Markets: Growth, Challenges and a New Era of Banking Partnerships
By Tony Repanich The Midwest’s cannabis industry is on a growth trajectory, with Ohio and Michigan leading the way. Since launching adult-use sales in August 2024, Ohio has surpassed $700 million in sales within the first year. Including medical marijuana, total sales could top $1 billion in 2025. Michigan’s market, already one of the largest…
Bridging the Small Business Lending Gap With Automation and Embedded Finance
By Will Tumulty Small businesses (SMB) are a vital component of the country’s economy at a local, regional and national level. For context, SMBs comprise 44% of the U.S. GDP with almost half of all private sector employees working for a business on Main Street. Despite serving a vital role in local communities and the…
How Banks can Stay Ahead of Check Fraud
By Todd Roberston The Fed, FDIC and OCC recently issued a joint statement requesting public input on how to combat rising levels of payment and check fraud. With fraud often spanning multiple institutions and payment rails, no single entity, public or private, can take a lone wolf approach to tackling this issue. This type of…
Digital Lessons from Across the Pond: Reimagining U.S. Banking Through the UK Model
By Mark Van Horn The UK’s digital banking sector today is viewed as a global leader for customer-centric innovation and streamlined digital services. In 2025, nearly 40% of UK adults now have a digital-only bank account—nearly triple the figure from just four years earlier.¹ This shift reflects not only the growing trust in digital banking…
How Community Banks Can Use AI to Win Back Younger Customers
By Todd P. Michaud Bankers have become fascinated with AI, and that fascination only intensified since late 2022 as tools like ChatGPT have become both powerful and widespread. Bankers are interested in utilizing safe, secure AI tools that increase efficiency in the broadest sense. This is for good reason. In an environment of growing economic…
Preparing Teens for Fall 2025: A Financial Launchpad for College and Beyond
By Kevin O’Keefe As families prepare for the fall 2025 semester, one persistent challenge looms large: helping teens achieve financial independence without falling into the student debt trap. Young adults leave home learning to manage class schedules, meet deadlines, work part-time, and develop basic money management skills. This period can significantly affect future credit opportunities…