— Jodi Eich, Chairwoman of ICBSD, Vice Chair and Chief Operating Officer, Rivers Edge Bank
One thing that is top of mind is how beneficial the art of collaboration is to banking. Whether it is working together within our industry, our individual banks or our communities, collaboration brings together diverse perspectives and can lead to better outcomes.
Collaboration amongst community banks in our state helps shape legislation that is beneficial to the banking industry, our communities and businesses in general. At the bank level, a strong commitment to collaboration within the bank’s teams is likely to lead to far better results than could be attained individually. As new products and services are explored, collaboration amongst fellow bankers in the industry helps us make more informed decisions.
In 2025, please take advantage of opportunities to collaborate with one another. Whether your background is in operations, deposit or loan products and services, technology, compliance, customer service, etc. we all hold experiences that can help others. As our bank underwent a core conversion last year, some of the most valuable feedback we received was from conversations with fellow bankers. We would like to pay that gift forward as I’m sure other bankers would as well. Whether it is during the legislative session, at a conference, during the Level-Up Program, at the annual retreat or anywhere in between, let’s collaborate!
“At the bank level, a strong commitment to collaboration within the bank’s teams is likely to lead to far better results than could be attained individually.”