On this episode, Al Dominick and Steve Williams sit down to talk about how recent bank failures have revealed the need for enhanced risk management and reinforced the importance of regional and community banks. The financial industry must learn from these incidents and implement strategies such as focusing on niches, embracing fintech partnerships, and remaining agile to ensure continued success. Subscribe to Plugged In for more in depth conversations with banking experts!

In today's episode, Steve and Al talk with Gene Ludwig, former Comptroller of the Currency and a banking regulation, risk management, and fiscal policy expert. Gene shares some powerful insights into modernizing the banking industry. They discuss the importance of smart regulation that helps to balance banking activities and technological advancements, the need for regulators to have the tools to manage tail risks quickly and avoid being caught off guard, and the need to have a mechanism that gives regulators and the public time to act in a crisis.

On this episode Steve and Al talk with Jim Reuter, CEO and President at FirstBank. They discuss Jim's vision for FirstBank as an "open bank" by integrating with various software solutions to better serve their clients. They dive into the importance of leadership, fostering innovation, and talent development in the banking industry. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of banking, financial institutions, and fintech innovation.

In this episode of Plugged In, Al Dominick is joined in the studio by Anton Schutz, an experienced bank stock investor and founder of Mendon Venture Partners, a venture capital firm focused on early- to mid-stage technology companies. The two debate when bank M&A might pick up, the need to reduce expenses — to reinvest in technology opportunities — and the drive for deposits, deposits, deposits. As a bonus, they highlight a great California vineyard doing something special to honor victims and survivors of 9/11.

On today's episode of Plugged In, Steve Williams sits down with Brandi Gregory, Managing Director in Cornerstone Advisors’ Contract Negotiation and Payments practices.

Executing a business strategy requires courage, commitment and culture — points raised by Eric Sprink, the CEO of Coastal Community Bank. With Al Dominick, the two explore embedded finance, embedded fintech, executing on a BaaS strategy and why now is such an amazing time to be a community banker.

Collyn Gilbert, the Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer at Valley Bank takes Plugged In's hosts, Al Dominick and Steve Williams, behind the scenes of the $54B+ institution.  The three share quite a few laughs while talking about how to architect a strategy, areas of potential opportunities — and how to keep strategic planning from becoming a glorified budgeting activity.

The new CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association, Lindsey Johnson, joins Al Dominick to breakdown recent regulatory actions, potential oversight on crypto and emerging small business trends.

Al and Steve crank up the volume with the founder of Second Curve Capital, Tom Brown. Starting with the state of talent in the tech sector, the three discuss current marketing volatility, how bankers continue to pay lip-service to going "branch light" and why culture remains king in the financial sector.

In advance of his retirement from Idaho Central Credit Union, Steve Williams and Al Dominick talk with Kent Oram, ICCU's CEO, about luck being where opportunity and preparation meet. With one of the most impressive growth stories in financial services, Kent shares his approach to keeping creative mindsets from "being crushed" by naysayers. Further, how the team's culture evolved and is now known for successfully reaching out to communities through their Green Team.