Scott Hildenbrand, Head of Depository Fixed Income at Piper Sandler, joins Travillian Next for a conversation on balance sheet strategy and the forces shaping banking in 2026.

In this episode, Travillian’s Brian Love and Andrew Liesch sit down with Hildenbrand to discuss what he’s hearing in bank boardrooms across the country. From the disconnect between bank earnings and valuations to execution strategies in a volatile interest rate environment, the conversation explores how financial institutions are thinking about balance sheet management, leadership decisions, and long-term growth.

The discussion also covers talent dynamics in the M&A landscape, the rise of niche banking strategies, and how regulatory expectations are influencing liquidity and capital decisions for banks today.

If you’re a bank CEO, board member, executive, or industry professional looking to better understand balance sheet strategy and the challenges facing community banks, this episode offers a candid perspective from one of the most active voices advising financial institutions today.

Community banks widely recognize the value of diversity in the boardroom, yet many institutions still rely on the same limited recruiting networks when searching for new directors. On the latest episode of Travillian Next, Amber Buker, Chief Research Officer at Travillian, sits down with Jennifer Docherty, Senior FIG & Capital Markets Strategist at Performance Trust Capital Partners and Co-Founder of Bank on Women, to unpack why boardrooms remain so homogenous and what banks can do differently.Jennifer explains the structural dynamics that shape how directors are recruited and why meaningful performance gains begin to appear once boards reach a “critical mass” of women. The conversation also explores how community banks can modernize board succession planning, build stronger leadership pipelines, and expand their candidate pools through sponsorship and organizations like Bank on Women. Together, they outline practical steps banks can take to strengthen governance while positioning themselves for the next generation of leadership.

Community banks are rethinking compensation as competition for top producers intensifies. In this episode of Travillian Next, Brian Love of Travillian and incentive strategist Mike Higgins discuss how banks are moving beyond subjective year-end bonus structures and toward performance-driven incentive plans. They explore the “Bank of One” model, the importance of linking pay to profitability, and why modern compensation strategy is becoming a critical competitive advantage in community banking.

Keith Daly, Principal of Banking & Fintech Search at Travillian, sits down with Chuck Nabhan, Managing Director and Equity Research Analyst at Stephens, to unpack fintech valuations, AI disruption, and the regulatory “moat” protecting core banking technology. Drawing on nearly two decades of equity research, Nabhan breaks down why AI hype is distorting fintech valuations, which parts of the tech stack are truly vulnerable, and where durable business models still exist. The conversation also highlights modernization priorities for community banks, including digital account opening, fraud prevention, and profitable growth in a post-euphoria market.

Dimitar Karaivanov, President & CEO of Community Bank System, and C.K. Lee, President & CEO of InterBank, discuss how Wall Street experience translates into community banking leadership.As community banks face rising complexity, tighter margins, and heightened expectations from boards and regulators, leadership backgrounds are evolving. Karaivanov and Lee share how bank strategy, talent decisions, capital discipline, and long-term accountability shift when executives move from advising on transactions to executing inside the institution.Hosted by Brian Love, Head of Banking & Fintech Search at Travillian, and Andrew Liesch, Head of Bank Strategy.

Pathward President Anthony Sharett joins Travillian Next host Amber Buker to share how a culture-first talent strategy is driving innovation, employee engagement, and financial inclusion. The conversation explores Pathward’s “talent anywhere” approach, curiosity-driven hiring, and how strong culture and regulatory discipline work together to prepare for 2030.Timestamps:00:00 – The journey from law to bank leadership03:04 – Defining purpose and the power of culture05:21 – Building an innovative workforce06:45 – Bridging the digital skills gap10:20 – High-demand roles and the AI frontier13:14 – Innovation within regulatory guardrails14:44 – The “talent anywhere” recruiting strategy18:19 – Mastering the first 90 days of onboarding21:58 – Investing in the bank’s most valuable asset24:02 – Looking toward the bank of 2030

Community banks are no longer on the sidelines of digital assets.

Keith Daly of Travillian speaks with Caitlin Long, Founder and CEO of Custodia Bank, and Shawn Main of Vantage Bank Texas about how tokenized deposits, stablecoins, and interoperable payment rails are becoming real banking infrastructure.

They break down the GENIUS Act, atomic settlement, and a new bank-led consortium designed to give community banks a compliant, practical path into digital asset payments. From cross-border transactions to logistics and restaurant payouts, the episode shows how settlement speed, transparency, and customer expectations are reshaping competition.

If you work in community banking, fintech, payments, or digital assets, this episode explains what is changing, why it matters, and how banks can stay relevant.

Succession planning is one of the most important decisions a bank will ever make. In this episode, Starion Bank CEO Craig Larson and President Dave Rogstad join Brian Love, Head of Banking & Fintech at Travillian, to share the real story behind Starion’s leadership transition.What began as a national executive search revealed that the bank’s next president had been developing internally all along. The conversation explores leadership humility, cultural alignment, internal talent development, and why confidence without self-awareness can derail succession decisions.If you care about bank leadership, executive succession planning, and long-term culture, this episode offers a rare, honest look inside a real transition.Timestamps00:16 Why succession planning carries more weight than any other decision01:44 A leadership shift that forced a strategic reset03:58 A leader who was not trying to be one yet05:21 Why the external search was about perspective, not replacement06:06 Defining culture before defining candidates08:28 When external strength met internal growth09:34 The quiet doubt that often comes with growth10:22 Learning the bank one layer at a time12:15 Why culture became the deciding factor14:57 Leadership and the bank’s business evolution16:16 When humility becomes a strength17:15 The transition from peer to leader19:01 Succession as a long term commitment21:22 When external talent strengthens internal identity23:45 Why succession planning never truly ends25:48 Building the next decade one decision at a time27:31 The vision of a super community bank29:57 A story that was always about people

2025 was a rollercoaster year for community banks navigating the talent market. Early optimism gave way to hesitation as uncertainty, M&A activity, and competitive pressure reshaped hiring decisions across the industry. As the year came to a close, momentum began to return.In this year-end conversation, Travillian reflects on what the past year revealed about community bank talent strategy and why optimism is building for 2026. The discussion explores how leadership roles are evolving, why competition for experienced banking talent has intensified, and how storytelling has become a critical differentiator in executive search.As community banks compete with larger institutions, fintechs, and sponsor banks for top talent, the ability to clearly articulate culture, leadership vision, and growth opportunity is no longer optional. Banks that control their narrative are better positioned to attract and retain strong leaders as hiring accelerates.This conversation covers:• The banking talent market in 2025 and why hiring felt volatile• How M&A activity is reshaping the available talent pool• Why storytelling matters in community bank executive search• Shifting expectations for CEO, CFO, and risk leadership roles• What community banks need to do now to win talent in 2026If you’re thinking about leadership hiring, succession planning, or talent strategy for your community bank, this conversation offers practical perspective on what’s changing and what’s ahead.

Bank M&A isn’t about speed anymore. It’s about preparation.In this episode of the Travillian Next podcast, investment bankers from Janney Montgomery Scott and D.A. Davidson break down how bank M&A has become a long game shaped by diligence, culture, regulation, and timing.Travillian’s Brian Love and Andrew Liesch sit down with Dan Flaherty (Janney) and Gene Katz (D.A. Davidson) to discuss how M&A conversations now happen years before a deal is signed, why diligence has become confirmatory rather than exploratory, and how cultural fit, succession planning, and regulatory strategy increasingly determine whether deals succeed or fail.The conversation also explores the role of credit unions as bank buyers, how fintech and private investors fit into today’s M&A landscape, and why boards are thinking beyond short-term stock reactions when evaluating acquisitions. For bank executives, directors, and investors trying to understand where consolidation is headed, this discussion offers a realistic, on-the-ground view of what’s actually driving deals today.Topics covered include:• The evolution of bank M&A diligence• Why culture is now a core deal risk• Regulatory tone and approval timelines• Succession planning and talent-driven transactions• Credit unions, fintech buyers, and market dynamics• What investment bankers expect for bank M&A in 2026