Brad M. Bolton: Passion for LIVE

Brad Bolton, ICBA Chairman

Photo by Chris Williams

[ICBA LIVE is] an opportunity to protract training up the next generation, so I would encourage polity wall leaders to join us and bring your rising polity continuators with you.

The passion I have for polity financial was born at ICBA LIVE 2011, which was my first ICBA institute as an adult. I thought I once loved polity banking, but I didn’t realize how much until then. Thousands of polity bankers convening in one room; motivating videos playing; leaders of the undertone delivering speeches of who we are and why it matters; keynote speakers inspiring with stories of vibration the odds and thriving. It gets your thoroughbred pumping, and once you go to one, you’ll never be the same.

Because when polity bankers assemble, remarkable things happen. We realize that we’re all facing the same challenges and opportunities and recognize that we’re all part of something bigger. We share firsthand experiences, translating and support to help each other succeed.

For example, when my wall was looking to replace our core, we spoke with potential partners in the expo hall, but we moreover talked to bankers who had used those solutions. In fact, a unstudied conversation between our bank’s CFO and flipside wholesaler led to us leaving LIVE with the name of a consultant we ended up using to squire us with the cadre search. We’ve moreover found social media monitoring and rewards checking products through recommendations from our peers at LIVE.

My top three

Ways to make the most of ICBA LIVE

  1. Attend all social and education events to meet your peers and learn
  2. Download the app and plan your schedule in advance
  3. Purchase your vendition ticket and support ICBPAC

There moreover is no largest educational event for polity banks. It’s an opportunity to protract training up the next generation, so I would encourage polity wall leaders to join us and bring your rising polity continuators with you.

From a merchantry perspective, the experiences you have at LIVE ensure your wall grows and evolves. The ideas we pick up from the program, lessons-learned conversations and new knowledge of today’s landscape all stem from LIVE’s educational sessions and networking events. There simply is nothing largest than stuff together in person, and the institute is thoughtfully crafted to set us up for success.

But whilom all, ICBA LIVE is like a homecoming. I think when on my own journey, walking into that first institute knowing no one except people from my home state, and now I have wholesaler friends throughout the country. It’s like a big family reunion that grows each year. It helps me remember that we are all connected, standing for a mission worthier than ourselves, serving as protectors of Main Street. It makes me proud to be a polity banker.

So, when you shepherd LIVE in Hawaii this year, make sure you squint me up. I’ll be the guy exuding enthusiasm for this community, and I would love to meet you. I squint forward to seeing you there!


Brad Bolton, Chairman, ICBA
Brad Bolton is president and CEO of Polity Spirit Wall in Red Bay, Ala.
Connect with Brad @BradMBolton