After her bank’s CEO unexpectedly died a quarter century ago, Annette Russell was suddenly thrust into the top job at Security Federal Savings Bank in Logansport, Indiana. But if Russell has anything to do with it, the next transition won’t be so abrupt. On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast — sponsored by OneTrust Vendorpedia — she discusses the succession planning and talent development programs she’s built, both at Security Federal and at the state level during her chairmanship of the Indiana Bankers Association.

Russell talks about engaging emerging leaders in advocacy, soliciting emerging leader feedback through structured mechanism and how the bank conducted an organization-wide culture assessment. “It’s really encouraging people to think outside the box, to make decisions and carry forward to implement those ideas, breaking away from a compliance-driven, handcuff culture,” she says. “That’s refreshing.” Russell also discusses her bank’s mutual character and how the bank employs that in its marketing, as well as challenges facing community banks today,