9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Pre-Seminar Bonus Session (This members-only session requires a separate $165 registration fee.)

Executive Peer Advisory Circle
Facilitated by Mika Moser

This session, limited to 15 participants, is offered as a confidential forum for senior bank leaders to discuss leadership, talent, succession, growth and organizational challenges with peers. Facilitated by Mika Moser, this stand-alone session is designed as a pilot for a new ongoing BHCA service, periodically bringing together senior executives. Moser, who has extensive experience bringing together C-suite executives, is former president of Bank Director magazine, and worked on the publication’s major events, including its signature M&A seminar. She is founder and president of At C Level Consulting Group, which helps banks navigate issues related to talent management and leadership development. 

11:30 to noon
Registration

Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Buffett Lunch

12:50 p.m. to 1:35 p.m
From the Classroom to the Boardroom:
What Graduate Banking Students are Saying About the Future
By Michael Stevens, President of the Graduate School of Banking at Boulder, Colorado

Drawing on research and strategic projects from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado, this presentation examines industry trends, merger activity, regulatory developments, technology, and broad-based succession planning. Stevens offers insights into how emerging leaders view the opportunities and challenges facing community banks, including the role of technology in strengthening relationship banking.

1:40 p.m. to 2:25 p.m.
Who Needs Who? Redefining the Bank-Fintech Relationship
By Phil Goldfelder, CEO, American Fintech Council

Banks and fintechs were once seen as rivals. That story is over, and the institutions that recognized it earliest are already pulling ahead on payments, lending and customer experience. The future of financial services will be shaped by institutions that effectively combine the trust and stability of traditional banking with the speed and innovation of fintech. AFC CEO Phil Goldfeder maps the current partnership landscape, cuts through the noise on what's actually working, and provides a practical framework for evaluating fintech relationships. He'll also break down the policy and legislative developments every bank leader needs to understand. 

2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Building a Coveted Community Bank: Stepping out of urgency to see what counts.
By Kurt Knutson, Consultant, former community bank owner/president

Community bank CEOs spend much of their lives making decisions under the pressure of responsibility. Over time, the demands of growth, regulation, governance and daily operations can make it difficult to see the institution as clearly as they once did. This session invites leaders to step out of urgency and examine what counts. In doing so, they may discover they can no longer see their institution in quite the same way. Whether the future includes growth, succession, continued independence, or acquisition, the institutions that become truly coveted are built long before those moments arrive

3:20 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Round 1 of Breakout Sessions

Why Leadership Pipelines Break Down
Mika Moser, At C Level Consulting Group

As banks grow, leadership expectations continue to change. Skills that made someone successful five or ten years ago are often not enough to prepare them for larger leadership responsibilities today. As a result, many banks find themselves overly dependent on a handful of key leaders while future successors struggle to make the transition into larger roles. In this session, leadership advisor Mika Moser explores where leadership pipelines tend to break down, why some high performers struggle when they’re promoted, and what successful banks are doing to prepare future leaders before they’re needed.

The Fed’s Approach to Regulating in the Current Environment
Erik Beishir, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis

Join Erik Beishir, Director of Supervision Outreach, as he explores the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis' approach to regulating banks and bank holding companies. Beishir will discuss current regulatory practices and how the Minneapolis Fed adapts its supervisory methods to the evolving financial landscape. This insightful presentation offers a unique glimpse into the intricacies of modern banking regulation and supervision.

3:50 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Round 2 of Breakout Sessions    

De-Risking the Deal: How a Complete ERM Program Powers Smarter M&A.
Marcia Malzahn, Malzahn Strategic

Drawing on real-world banking experience, this session walks through the building blocks of a complete ERM program, the specific risks that surface during M&A, and the practical steps boards and leadership teams can take to merge with confidence and protect value.

Tax Issues to Understand Before You Enter a Deal
Paul Sirek and Brock Thaemlitz, CPAs, Eide Bailly

Several unique tax issues require attention throughout the bank M&A negotiation, closing and post-closing process. Special rules regarding the deduction of deferred compensation, acquisition costs and other deal-related expenses can have a significant impact on a deal. In addition, compliance with required IRS reporting to shareholders after M&A deals can be significant, and expensive if not dealt with properly. This presentation will address these unique tax rules that do not emerge outside of an M&A environment. 

4:25 p.m. to 5:10 p.m.
Inside the Deal: M&A Insights for Closely Held Financial Institutions
By Blake Crow and Aric Radmacher, CPA partners at Eide Bailly

Get a strategic overview of the M&A process, designed explicitly for closely held financial institutions. Attendees gain insights from both buy- and sell-side perspectives. Key topics include identifying and evaluating potential partners, marketing a bank for sale, assessing value and pricing, navigating legal and tax structuring, preparing regulatory applications, understanding acquisition accounting and managing post-deal capital impact.

5:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Reception