Independent Banker - February 2022 - 7

FROM THE TOP
" From new competition and new
technology to new regulation, we
have adapted and continued to offer
the relationship-centric experience
that our communities, customers and
missions depend on. "
Robert M. Fisher
Chairman, ICBA
Robert Fisher is president, CEO
and chairman of Tioga State Bank
in Spencer, N.Y.
was recently reminded of this quote
from Canadian prime minister
Justin Trudeau: " The pace of change
has never been this fast, yet it'll never
be this slow again. " He made those
remarks four years ago at the World
Economic Forum, but never have they
felt truer.
In our industry, the only constant
is change. We have had a significant
evolution in financial services over the
past decade. From new competition
and new technology to new regulation,
we have adapted and continued to offer
the relationship-centric experience
that our communities, customers and
missions depend on.
But we haven't done it alone.
Newfound partnerships have allowed
us to excel and rise to the challenge.
For example, we have witnessed
significant growth in the number of
technology providers who want to
offer solutions to community banks,
and ICBA's ThinkTECH Accelerator
has played a major role in making
that happen.
I
As a member of the Selection
Committee, I have witnessed firsthand
all that goes into finding the right
companies to support our unique
needs. The ICBA team has sifted
through hundreds of applications to
narrow the candidates to the select
few invited to share a full pitch. And
we heard hours of pitches to whittle it
down to this year's 11 companies. It
was an inspiring process that exposes
us to nontraditional, nonlinear
thinking, and it provides insights on
new ways to address friction points
for our banks.
This year, we selected solutions
that will help community banks
excel in today's environment. We
emphasized companies that offered
revenue-generating ideas, back-office
efficiencies or an enhanced customer
experience. While not every solution
will be directly relevant to every
bank, we looked for those solutions
that speak to the greater good of
community banks.
My Top Three
Here are my top
3 ways to stay
connected with your teams
during this time of change:
1. Walk around the office
and talk to them.
2. Take them to breakfast or
lunch, or hold a virtual event.
3. Communicate,
communicate,
communicate.
So, as you read this month's issue
and prepare for ICBA LIVE, I hope
you will take a little time to learn
more about fintech collaborations
and the companies in this year's
accelerator cohort. They will be
presenting at the ThinkTECH
Showcase during LIVE, so you can
attend and hear firsthand about what
they offer and how their solutions
can support your bank. You can also
sign up at icba.org/accelerator to
participate virtually.
In today's rapid-fire environment,
having fintechs in our corner can
help us navigate what's next. Amid
all this change, we've got to keep
moving forward, and having the right
technology partners on the journey
will help us better prepare for what
lies ahead. 
Connect with Robert @RobertMFisher
independentbanker.org Q 7
Photo by Heather Esposito
http://www.icba.org/accelerator http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - February 2022

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