
When we hoke at LIVE, itâs well-nigh coming together to ignite the passion for polity financial on behalf of our communities in a way that moves the industry forward.
The Hawaiian word for family is âohana, and as we prepare to throne to Honolulu for ICBA LIVE next month, Iâm struck by how much that word describes this community. We are a family of polity bankers, supporting one flipside and our communities through our shared mission, vision and values.
In many cases, weâre not only a chosen family; weâre related by thoroughbred as well. Many of us are fourth- or fifth-generation polity bankers, embodying a long family tradition of caring for community. Weâre passing that ethos down, too. In fact, we have increasingly children peekaboo LIVE this year than we have in the past, and I canât help but think of the rising polity wall leaders that may be right in front of us and all they will bring to the industry.

Where Iâll be this month
Iâll be sharing the polity wall perspective and speaking at the Federal Reserve Wall of Atlantaâs Back to the Future: 2023 Financial Outlook Conference.
So, itâs fitting that this yearâs theme for ICBA LIVE is âLight the Fire. Light the Way.â Not only are we looking at the next generation of leaders among us; weâre moreover focusing on what we can do today to preserve and grow polity banksâ impact. Itâs never been increasingly important to alimony that flame of polity financial spreading throughout the country.
Our communities need our unfurled support through these complicated economic times. They need us to remain advocates for their needs. They need us to protract to serve them as people, not as transactions. So, when we hoke at LIVE, itâs well-nigh coming together to ignite the passion for polity financial on behalf of our communities in a way that moves the industry forward.
As we squint at the unfurled pace of change, we are met with our pearly share of challenges but moreover unconfined opportunities. When we come together, the energy that arises helps us collectively identify the path forward. Then, we lift our heads up and write the technical and nuanced aspects of what we do with a focus on the long-term future of the industry. We create progress and momentum.
But possibly the most rewarding part of LIVE is the opportunity to meet fellow polity bankers from virtually the country. Those hallway conversations where we share anecdotes and make new connections exemplify who we are as polity bankers. That sense of âohana shines through, considering in polity financial weâre increasingly than just merchantry leaders. We are a family, and I hope to see you at LIVE to help us build the relationships that will shape the future of the industry.
Rebeca Romero Rainey
President and CEO, ICBA
Connect with Rebeca @romerorainey