Brandon Riechers

Amanda Dougherty – Ag and Commercial 5-year lender, 8 with Bank Iowa 1. A Good Loan Today Shouldn’t Be a Burden Tomorrow: Not every loan request is the right fit, even if it looks good on paper. Ask yourself whether the financing will truly strengthen the customer’s operation or simply add debt. Sometimes the best advice is to wait or take a different path. Honesty goes a long way. 2. Plan for the Highs and Lows: Agriculture and business are cyclical. Build flexibility into your finances so you can weather both good and bad years. Strong recordkeeping, realistic cash flow projections, and long-term planning promote stability and growth. Bank Iowa | Member FDIC

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Highpoint Community Bank has agreed to become part of Independent Bank—a partnership that is expected to bring expanded lending options, digital tools, and additional resources to our communities. We expect all our locations to remain open, and the same team you know and trust to continue serving you. Our commitment to personal service, local decision-making, and community involvement remains the same. More updates will be shared soon, but for now, you can learn more about it here: https://bit.ly/3PjfhOO

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Reserve Banks released 21 CRA evaluations in June - Vision Bank is one if six banks who received an 'outstanding' of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) evaluation rating. https://bit.ly/45lgw4f #SeeTheDifference

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Community banks do not need another leadership framework that only works when conditions are stable. They need a system that helps leaders create ownership, accountability, and execution when pressure is real. That is the role of Guide, Don’t Drive™ Foundation through Community Bankers Institute, an LLI company, in partnership with the Michigan Bankers Association. This course introduces the leadership behavior operating system behind stronger judgment, clearer accountability, and more consistent execution. For community bank leaders, that matters because over-management creates dependency, slows decisions, and weakens ownership across the team. If your managers are stepping in too early, solving too much, or pulling work back upstream, this course provides a better operating standard. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/g4BPFGqF  The Guide Diagnostics is also a useful next step for identifying where leadership habits may be creating dependency inside the bank. #GuideDontDrive #CommunityBankersInstitute #CommunityBanking #MichiganBankersAssociation #LeadershipDevelopment

How does your credit union serve members who are employed by struggling financially? Rivermark Community Credit Union's Seth Schaefer and Ryan Halley, PhD, CFP®, CFT™ talked with Mike Lawson about how they use ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, yet Employed) data to directly inform decisions about products and services that help serve this group of members. #BackboneCU #CreditUnions #ALICE #FinancialEmpowerment

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“We, as a bank, want to give them the best we have to offer – a holistic relationship that ensures that they’re feeling comfortable with what they’re doing and the legacy that they are leaving behind,” said U.S. Bank small business banker Brenda Alferez Salinas.

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Mechanics Cooperative Bank President & CEO, Joe Baptista, recently sat down with Bob Fraser, President & CEO of MountainOne Bank, to discuss the upcoming merger and share their perspective on this important partnership. 🤝 This conversation reflects our shared commitment to strong community banking and the values that guide both institutions. Stronger Together, Local Forever.

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Prime Financial Credit Union (PFCU) is launching "FlexPay Plans" to consumers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin! A Community Development Financial Institution, PFCU is providing FlexPay Plans as a #BNPL-type program that allows its members to split purchases into predictable, low-cost installments directly through their existing checking accounts and debit cards. “Our mission is to remove barriers to financial opportunities,” said Christine Moczynski, President & CEO of Prime Financial Credit Union. “With FlexPay Plans, we aren’t just offering a new way to pay; we’re offering members a way to stay in control. Because this is a no-credit-check solution based on your relationship with us, we are able to provide access to those who might be excluded by traditional lending, ensuring our members have a responsible tool that supports their budget, rather than stretching it.” Link to read more in comments!

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Wisconsin’s credit unions have been steadily gaining ground on banks since their beginnings in the early 1900s. And soon, this growth may push credit unions ahead of banks in total assets. Credit unions in the state held $66 billion in total assets at the end of last year, up $1.9 billion from the previous year, according to state regulators. And while banks still held about $70 billion in assets, the gap has been shrinking. A report this year from the financial consulting firm Wipfli forecasts continued growth in the credit union sector, with 96% of credit unions expecting to grow in the next year and over half predicting asset growth of 5% or more. Kim Sponem, the CEO of Summit Credit Union based in Cottage Grove, attributed the growth of credit unions in Wisconsin to the structure of these not-for-profit financial institutions and the value they return. “Unlike banks, we are owned by members, not shareholders. That means our income is returned directly to our members in a variety of ways, so we do not pay income taxes. This translates to significant value,” Sponem said in a statement. Sponem estimated Summit’s members saved more than $64 million last year by choosing the credit union over an average Wisconsin bank, roughly saving $1,200 per household. https://lnkd.in/gkijMitT

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We’re excited to share that Bank CMG has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Farmers Savings Bank, subject to customary approvals, further expanding our commitment to community banking across Wisconsin. 🎉 This partnership brings together two trusted institutions with a shared focus on people, relationships, and long-term growth — while maintaining the local service & trust our customers expect. With this agreement, customers can rely on the same trusted experience at all the current Farmers Savings Bank locations, along with the team members they know and trust, now with even more to offer. 🤝 Read our full press release to learn more: https://lnkd.in/enwsW8PD #CommunityBanking #bankcmgmadison #bankcmgalbany #bankcmgburlington #bankcmgevansville #bankcmglakegeneva #bankcmglakemills #bankcmgmonroe #bankcmgmonticello #bankcmgwaukesha

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How Cara Credit Union -Tralee, Castleisland, Killorglin, Ballyduff, Causeway & Corca Dhuibhne. improved member engagement for 60,000+ members? Munster’s largest community-based credit union now connects faster and smarter with Zoom Phone, fully integrated with Salesforce. Read how we helped Cara CU transform their digital communications: https://lnkd.in/ds7ipWty #CreditUnions

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