Written by: Mike Senecal
Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro
Reviewed by: Adam West
Key Takeaways
- ICBA LIVE is the flagship event of the Independent Community Bankers of America, the leading trade association representing community banks across the United States.
- Thousands will gather at this year's conference in Nashville on March 11-14 to "celebrate the unique rhythm of community banking."
- Insights, education, and networking at ICBA Live empower community bankers with strategies, industry trends, and connections to drive innovation and growth.
America’s community banks serve local businesses and consumers with personalized financial solutions born out of a deep commitment to relationship-based banking.
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), the flagship trade association for America’s community bankers, represents more than 45,000 institutions that manage more than $6 trillion in assets, $4.9 trillion in deposits, and $4 trillion in loans.
Leveraging their collective strength as ICBA members, community bankers serve millions of Americans from all walks of life, providing products, services, and education to households and businesses striving for a more sustainable financial future.
That mission to serve will be on full display at this year’s ICBA LIVE 2025, the flagship ICBA industry event, to be held March 11-14 in Nashville. Each year at ICBA Live, industry professionals and advocates gather to explore the latest trends, share insights, and collaborate on strategies to strengthen community banking and support local economies.
“Celebrate the unique rhythm of community banking” at ICBA LIVE 2025.
It’s the year’s prime opportunity to “celebrate the unique rhythm of community banking,” to use ICBA’s phrase. From engaging keynote and guest speakers to breakout sessions on diverse industry topics and learning labs organized around professional development disciplines, this year’s ICBA Live promises to build on the community bank legacy while ushering members into a future of change.
Not surprisingly, a mission-driven gathering such as ICBA Live keeps folks coming back, with 98% of 2024 attendees reporting they planned to attend LIVE again. While ICBA members enjoy preferred pricing to participate in the event, ICBA LIVE welcomes all banking professionals looking to connect with the community bank ethos.
“Staying competitive in a changing market is essential for community banks,” ICBA stated on its website. “Whether you’re an established or emerging leader, join peers to celebrate, strengthen relationships, find solutions, and bring insights back to your bank.”
Inspiration to Meet Diverse Challenges
Because they actively invest in the communities they serve, community banks drive local economic growth to help their neighbors succeed. Localized decision-making fosters a more secure financial environment, benefiting communities across the country. Volunteerism and philanthropy extend that support to those most in need.
But in today’s environment of inflation, increased personal debt, and rising defaults and delinquencies, community banks have a more vital role to play than ever to ensure all Americans can participate in our nation’s success.
As a result, ICBA Live 2025 strives to cover all the bases for practitioners across the industry. The event’s speaker lineup bears that out through talks designed to help the industry lead with its strengths.
At the first general session on March 12, entrepreneur Dave Fishwick and ICBA President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey kick things off with a look at how to tell the community bank story with energy and authenticity. Painting a picture of where we came from, Fishwick and Romero Rainey seem likely to imply, is the best way to show people where you want to go.
They are followed by best-selling author and general session keynote speaker Rohit Bhargava, who has “non-boring” keynotes and workshops in 32 countries around the world to his credit. In acknowledging the challenges of working in the dynamic, fast-paced environment of a community-focused bank, he will counsel a mindset shift to “face the future with informed optimism.”
Beach volleyball player and entrepreneur Keri Walsh Jennings will lead the charge during the March 13 general session with a talk on sustaining excellence while maintaining one’s commitment to family — and love of adventure.
As a whole, speakers at ICBA LIVE’s general sessions seem tailor-made to inspire community bankers to new heights.
Learn Skills and Take Action
Trade association conferences are always about gaining skills, and ICBA LIVE is no exception. The 2025 event will offer a total of 60 educational sessions organized in seven tracks aligned with industry disciplines:
- Digital Transformation & Innovation
- Fraud, Cybersecurity & Risk
- Growth & Marketing
- Lending & Deposits
- Management & Strategy
- Risk, Regulation & Bank Exams
- Workforce Development
The conference presents different session types to engage all types of learners. Learning labs are interactive, expert-led sessions designed to produce practical insights, strategies, and skills across key industry and professional development topics.
Topics run the gamut, with AI making several appearances. It’s safe to say diligent participants in ICBA Live learning labs will not only learn to understand the lingo of AI/ML but also how to apply it in a way that’s relevant to what they do every day.
Roundtables provide opportunities for collaborative discussion, and ICBA Live 2025 will present six. A discussion on marketing, for example, is slated to cover topics such as data utilization and social media impact. Discussions about family-owned banks and thrifts will cover issues such as compliance, financial health, governance, legacy goals, and succession planning.
ICBA provides advocacy, education, innovation, and community resources to America’s community banks.
Meanwhile, trade association business continues at ICBA LIVE. Events such as the First-Time Banker Reception, Welcome Reception, and receptions for state association representatives help segments within the conference forge new connections. An auction on behalf of ICBA’s Political Action Committee will assist the association in raising funds for advocacy and strengthening political influence.
And ICBA LIVE is just the beginning. ICBA has many events scheduled for 2025, including the Capital Summit, scheduled for May 12-15 in the Washington, D.C., area.
That’s in addition to the copious advocacy, education, innovation, and community resources ICBA provides routinely to members — in a manner anything but routine. If you’re a community bank professional interested in serving more effectively in your role (and taking steps to grow beyond it), ICBA LIVE is for you.
