Advocacy ICBA Offers Custom Basel III Op-Ed A new customizable op-ed from ICBA helps community bankers spread the word on why regulators should exempt the industry from proposed Basel III capital guidelines. The op-ed, which community bankers can customize for their communities, notes that the proposed regulations would unnecessarily subject Main Street community banks to the same complex capital requirements as Wall Street megabanks. Meanwhile, ICBA continues calling on community bankers to submit comment letters and sign its petition on Basel III regulatory capital guidelines before the Oct. 22 comment deadline. ICBA is encouraging community banks to use the calculator released by federal regulators and write a comment letter describing how the Basel III proposal will affect their risk-based capital ratios. Guidelines for drafting comment letters are available on the ICBA website. Additionally, ICBA continues urging community bankers and their allies to sign a petition calling on regulators to exempt community banks from the Basel III proposals. Sign ICBA’s Basel III Petition. Send in a Comment Letter. ICBA News ICBA Reminding Against Spooky Practices ICBA is once again reminding America’s consumers that their local community bank is a safe haven from scary bank practices that can leave many banking customers spooked.  A news release that community bankers can customize for their communities offers a reminder that community banking is a hometown investment you can be proud of—not scared of. This Halloween season, savvy consumers should treat themselves to what a community bank offers: Sweet Service. Community banks are relationship lenders that focus on the needs of local families, businesses and farmers.  Because they know their customers and their customers know them, they are able to provide superior, personal customer service. When consumers call their local community bank, they’ll be reassured to know that they won’t be talking to someone halfway across the globe.  Instead, they will be talking with their community banker who lives and works in the same community they do. Deposits. Community banks lend locally where their depositors live and work, keeping local communities vibrant and growing.  By choosing a community bank, you’ll be putting money where it belongs—back into the community you call home.  And since community banks pay federal, state and local taxes, they are also a key supporter of their community’s local infrastructure, making it a better place for all residents to reside. Some tax-subsidized credit unions masquerade as community banks but do not pay any taxes to support their local communities. Expertise. Because community bankers live and work in the same communities as their local customers, they understand their local marketplace and the ups and downs of economic cycles in their community.  This is especially helpful in allowing them to serve the needs of their small business customers who rely on them as strategic partners in their small business endeavors. Community banks rely on the health of the local marketplace so they stick with their customers through good times and bad. Local Decision-Making. Instead of being headquartered hundreds of miles away, community bankers are accessible to their customers on site, where they can talk to a real human being—not a robot. Since many community banks are willing to consider character, family history and discretionary spending, they are often able to be more nimble in their decision-making when it comes to loan needs and qualification and in the selection of financial products and services. Trust, not Tricks. Community banks offer relationships you can bank on for years to come.  Because many community banks have been around for over 100 years and are often family-owned and -operated, you’ll know that the financial needs of you and your family are being met by local residents running the financial institution that has your best interest in mind.  They wouldn’t be in business if they didn’t.  Civic Loyalty. Community bankers are typically deeply involved and committed to making their local communities a better place to live. In fact, many community banks across the country donate service hours and money to important local causes.  Click here to see the 2012 winners of the ICBA National Community Bank Service Awards. Read ICBA Release. Access Custom Release. ICBA News ICBA Extends PSP Relationship with Banker’s Dashboard ICBA and Banker’s Dashboard announced that they have renewed their Preferred Service Provider relationship. The arrangement will ensure that ICBA-member community banks can continue to take advantage of members-only pricing and service on subscriptions to the Banker’s Dashboard service-as-a-software tool. Banker’s Dashboard was designed by bankers and formatted to reflect the way community bankers think. By pulling information directly from the bank’s general ledger, the tool enables bankers to monitor vital areas such as financial reporting and analysis, asset liability management, margin management, branch performance ranking, budgeting and forecasting, loan pricing, and officer and branch production. Management teams may access the system online, giving them a fast and easy way to make the critical decisions that contribute to improved performance and profitable growth regardless of location. The system is compatible with all major core processors. Poll Take This Week’s Quick Poll Take this week’s Quick Poll on comment letters on Basel III regulatory capital standards, and view results from the previous poll on ATM fee disclosure lawsuits.

Sponsored by

Stay Connected. Follow Us.