Today on the show, Al and Steve reunite in the Arizona desert to unpack the themes they have been hearing at banking conferences and boardroom meetings nationwide. Two big standouts: the practical use cases of A.I. (yes, there are some) and the surge in M&A activity. Plus, they dig into the generational shift in banking where younger consumers play the field in which financial providers they use.

Chapters:
[00:00] Back in the Desert — Kicking Off Plugged In
[00:41] Coast to Coast: Travels and Boardroom Insights
[03:09] The AI Hype Curve — Entering the Trough of Disillusionment
[05:22] Real AI Wins: Chatbots, Fraud Detection & Efficiency Gains
[07:24] The CFO Reality Check — Why AI Might Cost More
[08:50] Finding Your Voice with ChatGPT
[10:16] The Next Generation of Banking: Gen Z & Liquidity Shifts
[12:54] Creating Capacity and Strengthening Franchise Value
[14:08] The M&A Wave: Big Brands, Big Bets, and Faster Deals
[18:15] Speed, Purpose, and the Future of Banking

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in 

Deal-making is heating up.

On the show today: Al and Steve sit down with Mike Maddox, CEO and president of the newly expanded $20B-asset Busey Bank, which merged with CrossFirst Bank earlier this year. They dig into scale, succession and strategy.

They also discuss what stablecoins mean for banking, Busey’s $14B wealth management platform and why Mike thinks that regional banks should act more like professional services firms to serve their markets best.

Chapters:

[00:00] Welcome & Ozzy-Inspired Kickoff

[00:41] Meet Mike Maddox: Regional Banking Veteran

[01:12] The State of Bank M&A: Scale and Strategy

[04:04] Solving for Succession: Leadership Transition

[06:13] Market Expansion: From Midwest Roots to Sunbelt Growth

[07:32] Preserving Regional Culture in a Growing Bank

[10:58] The $14 Billion Wealth Platform Advantage

[14:17] Banking Innovation: Tech, Payments & FirstTech

[18:50] Looking Ahead: Post-Merger Integration & Opportunity

[19:48] Wrap-Up: Culture, Metrics & Modern Banking Vision

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here: 

https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in 

Banking is only getting hotter. On the show today, Al and Steve break down midyear trends, from GenAI's impact on creativity (it isn’t good) to stablecoins and a potential surprising M&A rebound. Plus, they explore one of the biggest industry questions right now: In a deregulatory environment, where can banks win and lose? TBD. But as Al says: “Fundamentals never go out of style.”

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here: 

https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in 

Today on the show, Al and Steve catch up with Chip Reeves, CEO of MidWestOne Bank, to get the inside story into how the Midwestern bank managed to not lose a single top client when it overhauled its balance sheet in a short amount of time.

 Chip also shares how the institution recruits top talent and its approach to competing with the likes of Chase, the banking giant that’s been plopping down branches in MidWestOne's turf (otherwise known as the land of star basketball player, Caitlin Clark). 

 And yes, there’s some singing by Al to an 80’s banger.

🎧📺 https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in

On the show today: Al and Steve speak with Brad Elliott, founder, chairman and CEO of Equity Bank, about building a $5.5 billion institution through an aggressive M&A strategy.

Brad shares how the bank attracts and develops talent as well as offers his take on GenAI and how to cultivate trust in digital and physical channels.

Generative A.I. is an intervention moment for the financial services industry.

Today on the show, Al and Steve chat about A.I. playbooks and what banks are doing with GenAI right now (namely tepid things, like testing Microsoft Copilot with their employees). They present a bigger question: should banks pursue A.I. strategies right now? 

Al and Steve also explore the other timely hot word in financial services: uncertainty. What happens next with the economy remains to be seen, but Al and Steve offer up reasons why the C-suite ought to cultivate creativity whichever direction the market moves.

Show notes

• Why most Companies Shouldn’t Have an AI Strategy (WSJ article; subscription required)

Malcolm Holland, Chariman of the Board, CEO and President of Veritex Community Bank, sees himself as a banker who embraces opportunities.

On today's show, Al and Steve chat with Malcolm about how he started a bank as a 25-year-old in the 1980s – a turbulent period for banking – and how his experience of bad times helped shape his career in making big leaps; arguably, none bigger than founding his current bank at age 49 by using the inheritance money left to his wife... with her blessing.

Malcolm chats with the guys about the importance of using data to make decisions, the art of nurturing or replacing talent and what's next for the bank. Malcolm also talks about the bank's women in small business initiative. As he says: "I love it."

They’re back. In Arizona.

In advance of the upcoming  Acquire or Be Acquired conference, Al and Steve chat about trends that will matter to the C-Suite this year, including:  M&A activity coming in hot and how to source new ideas that will yield revenue. They also explore funding competition from fintech companies and essentials required in retaining customers.

In this final episode of the Plugged In Series for 2024, Steve and Al reflect on the year's significant events and trends in the banking industry, including a resurgence in mergers and acquisitions, the challenges posed by technology and compliance, and the importance of talent management. They discuss predictions for 2025, emphasizing the need for execution and growth strategies in a competitive landscape. Then, they kick it over to the replay of the highly-anticipated 2024 GonzoBanker Awards, where Al and co-host Ron Shevlin (What's Going On in Banking), along with special guests Steve, Sam Kilmer (Fintech Hustle) and Mary Wisniewski (Money Isn't Everything) break down just a few of the many winners of Cornerstone Advisors' annual industry awards.

Hans Morris is used to following fintech trends. He’s a managing partner at Nyca Partners, a fintech venture capital firm in New York and San Francisco, and the chairman of the board of Lending Club. In today’s Punk Rock-themed show, Hans talks to Al and Steve about some of his portfolio investments that touch on juicy industry themes, like: Generative AI (and interesting ways to use it), automated tax prep services and fresher ways to screen tenants than requesting their credit scores.

Hans will also share some of his favorite wine picks just in time for the holidays.