Ongoing economic uncertainty, continued consolidation in the banking industry, tougher regulatory oversight, an overwrought housing market and a potential Fed digital currency are just a few of the issues currently facing banks. Two top leaders at the New Jersey Bankers Association—John McWeeney, its president and CEO, and Mike Affuso, its EVP and director of government relations—assess the obstacles ahead.

Fabrice Coles, senior manager for global public policy at PayPal, talks about how PayPal thinks about financial inclusion, its strategy for partnering with banks and how the pandemic has changed financial services.

James Reuter, President and CEO of $26.7 billion-asset FirstBank in Lakewood, Co., returns to the show to analyze the Fed’s recent 40-page white paper on the creation of a central bank digital currency. What kind of CBDC does the Fed want to create—and how would that impact banks?

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently opened a request for comment on “junk” financial services fees. But what does the agency consider junk fees—and what does it plan to do about them? American Banker’s Kate Berry walks through the CFPB’s agenda and what it means for bankers of all sizes.

Katie Couric, the legendary news anchor and head of Katie Couric Media, sits down with IntraFi Network’s Barb Rehm to talk about her new memoir, Going There. She discusses why she founded her own media company, her past work co-anchoring the Today show, her rocky transition to co-host of CBS Evening News, the Me Too movement and much more.

Todd Phillips, the director of financial regulatory and corporate governance at the Center for American Progress, talks about the dangers of legislating new rules for digital assets when existing regulatory powers may be sufficient. He also discusses the rise of NFTs and why banks should be wary.

FDIC Chair Jelena McWilliams unexpectedly announced recently that she is stepping down Feb. 4. What’s behind this decision—and what does it mean for the independence of the FDIC and other banking regulators? Politico’s Victoria Guida and American Banker’s Brendan Pedersen explore the many facets of the FDIC’s leadership battle.

Jim Edwards, the CEO of $2.1 billion-asset United Bank and immediate former past chairman of the ABA, talks about his bank’s unique approach to finding and fostering the next generation of banking talent. He also discusses several policy challenges facing the industry, including overdraft fees and more stringent regulation.

While much of the economic data is relatively strong, consumers remain pessimistic about the economy, with fears about inflation rapidly rising. Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, goes through the latest data to answer critical questions about the economy headed into the New Year. How worried should we be about inflation? What will the Fed do next? Will the omicron variant cripple the economy just as it seems about to recover?

The Independent Bankers Association of Texas and FedFIS have launched a new professional social media site exclusively for community bankers in an attempt to foster collaboration and allow them to easily compare their tech services and experiences. Christopher Williston, the head of IBAT, discusses how the site started, where it’s going and how it can help small institutions.