Independent Banker - February 2022 - 5

FLOURISH
" It's hard to put my finger on
exactly what makes ICBA LIVE
so special, but I believe it is in
a shared sense of purpose that
arises whenever community
bankers convene. "
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
t has been two years since we
last came together in person at
ICBA LIVE, and I cannot wait for
this year's convention. While virtual
events have provided connection,
learning and development, there's
something so special about
assembling with our communities,
where the energy is palpable and we
are inspired from interactions with
one another.
That in-person collaboration and
networking creates a platform for
us to share thoughts and ideas in
an organic way that's so natural to
community bankers, and we are both
celebrating and honoring the fact we
can be together again.
It's hard to put my finger on
exactly what makes ICBA LIVE
so special, but I believe it is in a
shared sense of purpose that arises
whenever community bankers
convene. We have this unique
opportunity to meet bankers
from across the country who
have challenges and experiences
similar to our own, and together,
talk through those pain points and
identify solutions. We listen to panel
discussions where lessons learned
are shared, participate in workshops
I
for firsthand knowledge and are
encouraged by general session
speakers who motivate us to take our
leadership to the next level.
And that sense of community
extends to the providers who support
our efforts. In the Expo, we can meet
with partners who will help facilitate
our next big idea. We hear from the
ThinkTECH Accelerator cohort and
see demos of the latest products and
services introduced for our industry.
In short, we have a one-stop shop to
dive into the technical, regulatory
and operational products for our
customers, and we have colleagues
present who have used these
solutions and can share firsthand
experiences with them.
Our goal with ICBA LIVE is to
provide a snapshot of the broad
community banking landscape, and in
such a shifting, dynamic environment,
that is all the more important. We
work hard to facilitate discussions
about some of the most challenging
topics and create an open, honest
dialogue about viable solutions.
So, I hope you will join us at ICBA
LIVE this year to engage in person
as we write the next chapter in our
collective stories and prepare for
what the coming year (and years) will
bring. I encourage you to identify the
pieces that work best for your bank
and adopt them boldly, drawing on
the collective knowledge of your peers
to help you navigate any challenges
in your path. Because we are stronger
together than we are apart, and when
our community of community bankers
assembles, there is no stopping the
successes we will achieve.
Connect with Rebeca @romerorainey
Where I'll Be This Month
I'll be prepping for and then attending ICBA LIVE 2022
in San Antonio, Texas.
independentbanker.org Q 5
Photo by Robert Severi
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - February 2022

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