Tag: Acquire or Be Acquired

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Push, Push… Push, Push

Last October, I journeyed to Austin, Texas, to watch my first Formula One race. Like many, Netflix’s wildly popular Formula 1: Drive to Survive drew me in. That series dramatically increased the popularity of the sport in the United States, with plenty of drama on track — and off. 

Inevitably, the show takes viewers inside a showdown between two cars jostling for points, separated by mere milliseconds.

While being out front has its advantages, so too does drafting your competition. Personally, I love watching/hearing a team’s crew nonchalantly imploring its driver to “push, push… push, push” over the radio. This call to click the push-to-pass mechanism on a race car —which provides a temporary jolt of speed — typically results in the hunter becoming the hunted.

So yes, speed, competition and risk-taking is on my mind as we prepare to host Bank Director’s Experience FinXTech event May 5 and 6 in the same city as the Circuit of The Americas (aka COTA).

Much like Formula One brings some of the most ambitious and creative teams together for a race, Experience FinXTech attracts some of the most inspiring minds from the deeply competitive financial services space.

Now in its seventh year, the event connects a hugely influential audience of U.S. bank leaders with technology partners at the forefront of growth and innovation. Today, as banks continue to transition towards virtual or digital strategies, fintechs become partners rather than just competitors in the race to succeed. 

We’ll look not only at fintechs offering efficiencies for banks, but at fintechs offering growth and improved performance as well. As fintech guru Chris Skinner recently noted, “If you only look at technology as a cost reduction process, you never get the market opportunities. If you look at technology as a market opportunity, you get the cost savings naturally as a by-product.”

We’ll consider investor appetites, debate the pros and cons of decentralized finance and share experiences in peer exchanges. 

Throughout, we’ll help participants gauge technology companies at a time when new competitors continue to target financial services.   

Most Formula One races are won on the margins, with dedicated teams working tirelessly to improve performance. So too are the banks that excel — many of them with dedicated teams working with exceptional partners.

*I am delighted to return to Texas and see so many of my former friends and colleagues at Bank Director. Heck, I’ll tease Naomi Snyder (the editor-in-chief), that I found a way to use my original title for this piece I authored for BankDirector.com.

In addition, I’ll be on stage, rep’ing the team as a member of the company’s board of directors (and as a minority owner), perhaps in boots, maybe without a tie… Saying hello to so many friends from across the industry — like the team at Nymbus who graciously hosted me and some incredibly awesome folks in our industry last October at F1’s COTA race… and yes, flying the skull & crossbones for the team at Cornerstone Advisors.

This is an awesome annual event, and one worth following on social media if you’re unable to join in person. Check out @Fin_X_Tech on Twitter to keep tabs on the provocative conversations that inevitable take place.

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How Would You Define DeFi?

If I’d asked 100 different people at this week’s Acquire or Be Acquired to define DeFi, I’d bet $10,000 worth of ETH I’d get 100 different responses.

As I shared in yesterday morning’s remarks, decentralized finance is a complex area, with interest and usage growing exponentially over the past two years. Many aspects of financial services will be reinvented in a decentralized way — with numerous vendors working on new concepts. Given the current state of bank technology (coupled with a complex regulatory environment), financial markets are riddled with inefficiencies that new companies want to exploit.

Ours is a huge market being transformed by DeFi. But by no means the only industry being impacted. So as we wrap up our time in the Arizona desert, let me re-share one of my slides that shows changes taking place today.

Given the various investments taking place, and developments being announced, I encourage those 1,403 who joined us here to:

— Learn about smart contracts — and how these potentially replace banks and third parties in executing transactions.

— Tackle questions like “what are the benefits of incorporating blockchain technology into my services — and what are the inherent risks?”

— Focus on this year’s “wallet wars;” whereby wallet providers like Kraken, Crypto.com, MetaMask, etc. up their customer experiences to compete for clients.

Talking DeFi at #AOBA22

This year’s event made good on my early prediction that diversification, differentiation and decentralization would be major themes. To the third one, we are just scratching the surface in terms of what’s now — and what’s next.

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What To Expect at the 2022 Acquire or Be Acquired Conference

When Robert Iger joined The Walt Disney Co. as its new CEO in 2005, the company’s storied history of animation had floundered for a decade.

So Iger turned to a competitor whose animation outpaced Disney’s own and proposed a deal. 

The relationship between Pixar Animation Studios and Disney had been strained, and Iger was nervous when he called Pixar’s CEO, Steve Jobs.

The two sat down in front of a white board at Pixar’s headquarters and began listing the pros and cons of the deal. The pros had 3 items. The cons had 20, as the now-retired Iger tells it in his this Masterclass online. 

“I said ‘This probably isn’t going to happen,’’’ Iger remembers. “He said, ‘Why do you say that?’”

Jobs could see that the pros had greater weight to them, despite the long list of the cons.

Ultimately, Disney did buy Pixar for more than $7 billion in 2006, improving its standing, animation and financial success. In the end, Iger says he “didn’t think it was anything but a risk worth taking.” 

I read Iger’s memoir, “The Ride of a Lifetime,’’ in 2021, just as I began planning the agenda for our annual Acquire or Be Acquired Conference in Phoenix. Widely regarded as the premier event for the financial industry’s CEOs, boards and leadership teams, we are preparing to welcome nearly 1,400 to the Arizona desert this weekend.  His story resonated, and not just because of the Disney/Pixar transaction.

I thought about that line of risks worth taking… and was reminded of the leadership traits Iger prizes; specifically, optimism, courage and curiosity.

Many of this year’s registered attendees wrestle with the same issues Iger confronted at Disney. They represent important brands in their markets that must respond to the monumental changes in customer expectations. They must attract and retain talent and to grow in the face of challenges. 

While some look to 2022 with a sense of apprehension — thanks to Covid variant uncertainty, inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and potential regulatory changes — I feel quite the pep in my step this January.

I celebrate the opportunity with our team to return, in-person, to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. With so many registered to join us Jan. 30 through Feb. 1, I know I am not alone in my excitement to be with people again in real life.

So what’s in store for those joining us? Conversations around:

  • Capital allocation.
  • Balancing short-term profitability versus long term value creation.
  • Managing excess liquidity and shrinking margins. 
  • Re-thinking hiring models and succession planning. 
  • Becoming more competitive and efficient.

Naturally, we discuss the various growth opportunities available to participants. We talk about recent merger transactions, market reactions and integration hurdles. We hear about the importance of marrying bank strategy with technology investment. We explore what’s going on in Washington with respect to regulation, and we acknowledge the pressure to grow earnings and the need to diversify the business.

As the convergence of traditional banking and fintech continues to accelerate, we again offer FinXTech sessions dedicated to delivering growth. We unpack concepts like banking as a service, stablecoins, Web3, embedded finance and open banking.

Acquire or Be Acquired has long been a meeting ground for those that take the creation of franchise value very seriously — a topic even more nuanced in today’s increasingly digital world. The risk takers will be with us, which is great company to keep. Indeed, “there’s no way you can achieve great gains without taking great chances,’’ Iger says. “Success is boundless.”

To follow along with this year’s event, I invite you to bookmark this blog, visit BankDirector.com and search #AOBA22 on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Inspired By Acquire or Be Acquired

For the past ten years, I’ve entered January with a near-term resolution: to inspire those we host at our Acquire or Be Acquired Conference in special, meaningful ways.

While the Bank Director team spent much of last Summer and Fall planning to host business leaders later this month, CDC warnings about health challenges and post-holiday Covid spikes ultimately led us to postpone my favorite conference.

Yes, we will once again host the industry’s premier banking event. One designed for CEOs, senior executives and board members next January 30th through February 1, 2022 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge. However, we did not throw in the towel on providing timely & relevant information to this hugely influential audience in 2021.

You see, we are in the final development phase of a new, board-level intelligence package called Inspired By Acquire or Be Acquired. Unlike a virtual conference, this exclusive digital content respects people’s time, interests and curiosity.

By aggregating the type of leadership issues one would find at Acquire or Be Acquired into short-form video segments, we clearly — and concisely — surface current topics, trends, statistics and market insight.

The time-specific information being presented on our new BankDirector.com platform connects officers & directors with key issues and advisers. Inspired By Acquire or Be Acquired helps key leaders get smarter, faster. For instance,

  • For CEOs, we explore financial growth options in 2021;
  • For acquisitive types, we look at current pricing models and upcoming expectations;
  • For those engaging with fintechs, we show what’s new and compelling;
  • For board members, surfacing issues and ideas that tie into valuation; and
  •  For the C-suite, sharing peer insight on strategic planning during these uncertain times.

The content in this package reflects the ideas and opinions of leading investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, consultants and technology executives. Additionally, we bring industry trends to light with the help of banking’s top executives.

Next week, I film new segments with a number of CEOs. For example, Fifth Third, First Horizon, Cape Cod Five, WSFS, Founders Bank, BrightFi and Make-A-Wish. We talk about the intersection of the tech industry with the financial one... about the challenges of a merger of equals (MOEs)… about supporting small and mid-size businesses… about strategic investments… re-thinking your business model… engaging with partners… and leading with purpose.

Make no mistake, we will miss being with our friends and colleagues in a few weeks. But we appreciate the chance to bring perspectives from really smart men and women together to help and inspire a community we’ve been a part of for 30 years.

To find out more about Inspired By Acquire or Be Acquired, I invite you to take an early look. And if you have questions, please don’t hesitate to email me or connect via LinkedIn.

-Al

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Streaming Now: The AOBA Summer Series

Dreaming of a trip to Phoenix, and the Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, next January doesn’t seem so odd this summer.

WORKING FROM HOME — For decades, business leaders began to book their travel to the Arizona desert — for Bank Director’s Acquire or Be Acquired Conference — in early August. As evidenced by the nearly 1,400 at the Arizona Biltmore earlier this year, the annual event has become a true stomping ground for CEOs, executives and board members. Many laud it as the place to be for those that take the creation of franchise value seriously. I’ve even heard it referred to as the unofficial kickoff of banking’s new year.

Just seven months ago, Acquire or Be Acquired once again brought together industry leaders from across the United States to explore merger opportunities, acquisition trends and financial growth ideas.  With 418 banks represented, participants considered strategies specific to lending, deposit gathering and brand-building. They talked regulation, met with exceptional fintechs and networked with their peers under sunny skies.

Not one openly worried about a global pandemic.

Yet here we are, all of us dealing with fast-moving challenges and unimaginable risks.

So what can we do to help?

This is the question that proved the catalyst for our new AOBA Summer Series.  Indeed, we created this free, on-demand, compilation of thought leadership pieces to provide pragmatic information and real-world insight.

With CEOs and leadership teams being called upon to make decisions they have never been trained for, we realized the type of information typically shared in January has immediate merit this summer.  So instead of waiting until winter, this new Summer Series provides both color and context to the tough decisions — those with profound long-term consequences — that confront executives every day.

Ten videos comprise the AOBA Summer Series, with topics appropriate for the C-suite’s or board’s consideration.  Streaming on BankDirector.com, we talk about how important scale has become in the banking industry… how one’s technology strategy cannot be delegated… how it certainly seems that there will be banks that come out of this in a bigger, stronger state.  Here’s a screen-grab of what you’ll come across:

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In one-on-one conversations like these, we acknowledge how net interest margins are compressing — which will drive up efficiency ratios — and credit costs are climbing.  And we look at leadership, appreciating that many are leading in new, more positive and impactful ways.  In addition, this new series provides:

A SNAPSHOT ON CURRENT CONDITIONS
At our January Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, Tom Michaud, President & CEO, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company, provided his outlook for the industry. Now, we ask him to update his perspectives on M&A activity and share his take on the potential implications of the pandemic.  

HOW FINTECHS FIT
A growing number of technology companies have been founded to serve the banking industry.  Not all of them have what it takes to satisfy bankers.  During various sessions we learn how a variety of banks approach innovation — and the specific attributes a leadership team should look for in a new fintech relationship.

THE LEVERS OF VALUE CREATION
With nCino’s CMO, Jonathan Rowe, our Editor-in-Chief talks about the levers of creating value vis-a-vis the flywheel of banking. Together, they explain how certain technologies promote efficiency, which promotes prudence, thereby promoting profits, which can then be invested in technology, starting the cycle all over again.

Screen Shot 2020-08-12 at 5.21.46 PM

Hearing from investment bankers, attorneys, accountants, fintechs, investors and — yes, other bankers — about the outlook for growth and change in the industry proves a hallmark for Acquire or Be Acquired, be it in-person or online. 

As this new series makes clear, The future is being written in ways unimaginable just a few months ago.  We invite you to watch how industry leaders are making sense of the current chaos for free on BankDirector.com.

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Acquire or Be Acquired: What’s All the Fuss About?

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Acquire or Be Acquired Conference has long been a meeting ground for the banking industry’s key leaders to meet, engage with each other and learn what they need to grow their business. The audience encompasses traditional institutions, de novos, FinTechs and even a few credit unions. With today’s post, I explain what’s all the fuss about this premier event.

What's all the fuss about?

The allure of Acquire Or Be Acquired is as much for the networking as the various presentations. It is, after all, a hugely influential audience of 1,300+ setting up shop with our team at the Arizona Biltmore from January 26 – 28. 

For those joining us in Arizona, I encourage men to bring a sports coat or a jacket for the evenings as we plan to be outside for our receptions.  While the forecast calls for days in the 70s, the desert quickly cools off once the sun sets. In addition, the rumors of people being in their seats at 7:15 – 7:30 on Sunday morning? 100% true. We start promptly at 8:00 AM.

Looking to navigate the iconic Arizona Biltmore?  Our team put this helpful map together for attendees:

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In terms to the titles representing the 850+ bankers joining us, you’ll find:

CEO, CEO/Chair, Chair/President, Chair/President/CEO, Chair, President/CEO, CFO, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Banking Officer, Chief Business Development, Chief Credit Officer, Chief HRO, Committee Chairs, CIO, Loan Officer, Secretary, Correspondent Banking Team Lead, Chief Accounting Officer, SVP, Director of Corp.Compliance, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Lending Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, COO, Chief Retail Banking Officer, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Risk Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Controller, Corporate Development Officer, EVP, Director Corporate Strategy, Senior Vice President, SVP, Commercial Lending, Vice Chair, Director of Finance, Director of FinTech Partnerships, Director of Transformation Mgt. Office, Treasurer, Director of Wealth Management, President, Chief Experience Officer, Data Analytics, EVP, Finance & Corp. Dev., EVP, General Counsel, Executive Chair, CXO, Former CEO, Internal Auditor, Strategic Planner & Owner, SVP, Business Planning, SVP, Deposit Services & Emerging Products, Vice Chair/CEO (2) and our course, Directors.

Along with these industry leaders, we have an amazing group of sponsors.  Such an audience allows us to put together exceptional panel discussions.  This year, fifteen banks with $20B+ in assets sending senior leaders to this event.  Specifically, U.S. Bancorp, PNC Bank, Truist, Fifth Third Bank, New York Community Bank, First Horizon National Corp., CIBC, Texas Capital, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Western Alliance, UMB Bank, First National Bank of Omaha, Mid First Bank, First Hawaiian Bank and Old National Bank.

Finally, the digital materials for the conference can be found on BankDirector.com. Once you register on-site, you’ll be given a passcode to access the materials that can be used throughout the event.

Can’t make it? Don’t worry: we intend to share updates from the conference via BankDirector.com and over social media platforms, including Twitter and LinkedIn, where we’ll be using the hashtag #AOBA20.

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5 Trends from Acquire or Be Acquired 2019

WASHINGTON, DC — To get a sense of what trended at Bank Director’s 25th annual Acquire or Be Acquired conference, here’s a link to five video check-ins.  All 2 minutes or less in length, these summarize various topics and trends shared with 1,300+ attendees.

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SAVE THE DATE:

Acquire or Be Acquired Conference
January 26-28, 2020 | Arizona Biltmore Resort | Phoenix, AZ

For early-bird registration, please click here.

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Daily Briefing: Sunday at Acquire or Be Acquired

PHOENIX — When Bank Director first introduced our Acquire or Be Acquired Conference 25 years ago, some 15,000 banks operated in the United States. While that number has shrunk considerably — there are 5,120 banks today — the inverse holds true for the importance of this annual event. What follows are two short videos from our first day in the desert that surface a few key ideas shared with our 1,300+ attendees.

Three Interesting Stats:

  1. Of the 5,120 banks in the U.S., 4,631 are under $1Bn in asset size and 489 are over that amount.
  2. Two years ago, we talked about the sweet spot of banking being banks between $5B and $10B in asset size; now, its those with assets of $50B+.
  3. Digital channels drive 35% of primary banking relationship moves, while branches drive only 26%.

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  • Whether you are able to join us in person or are simply interested in following the conference conversations via our social channels, I invite you to follow @AlDominick @BankDirector and @Fin_X_Tech on Twitter. Search & follow #AOBA19 to see what is being shared with and by our attendees.
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    On the Horizon for Bank CEOs, Their Leadership Teams and Boards

    WASHINGTON, DC — Can community banks out-compete JP Morgan, BofA and Wells Fargo?  This is the elephant in the room awaiting 853 bank executives and board members — representing 432 Banks — at our upcoming Acquire or Be Acquired Conference.  The lights don’t officially come up on our 25th annual event at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge until Sunday, January 27.  So in advance, three big questions I anticipate fielding in the desert.

    Does 2019 Become the Year of BigTech?

    As noted by H2 Ventures and KPMG, Amazon is providing payment services and loans to merchants on its platform, while Facebook recently secured an electronic money licence in Ireland.  Alibaba, Baidu and Tencent have become dominant operators in China’s $5.5 trillion payments industry.  Add in Fiserv’s recent $22B acquisition of First Data and Plaid’s of Quovo and we might be seeing the start of a consolidation trend in the financial technology sector.  Will such investments and tie-ups draw the attention of big technology companies to the financial services industry?

    Has the window to sell your bank already closed?

    When I heard the rumor that BBVA might be buying UK-based Atom Bank — one of the proverbial European challenger banks — I started to look at acquisition trends here in the U.S.  Case-in-point, we put together the following graphic in December for BankDirector.com

    ma-infographic-final_1

    We know that some community banks have been holding out hopes of higher pricing multiples or for a strategic partner.  These institutions might find the window of opportunity to stage an exit isn’t as open as it was just a few years ago. This doesn’t mean the window has shut — but I do think an honest assessment of what’s realistic, at the board level, is appropriate.

    Wither the bond market?

    A NY Times op-ed piece  posits that the bond market reveals growing cracks in the financial system.  Authored by Sheila Bair, the former chairwoman of the FDIC, and Gaurav Vasisht, director of financial regulation at the Volcker Alliance, it warns that “regulators are not doing enough to make sure that banks are prepared.”  While the duo calls for thicker capital cushions for big banks and tighter leveraged loan underwriting standards, I wonder how executives joining us in Arizona feel about this potential threat to our economy?
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    As the premier bank M&A event for bank CEOs, senior management and board members, Bank Director’s 25th annual Acquire or Be Acquired Conference brings together key bank leaders from across the country to explore merger & acquisition strategies and financial growth opportunities. If you’re joining us in the desert, I’ll share a few FYIs later this week. If you’re unable to join us in Phoenix, AZ, I’ll be tweeting from @aldominick and using #AOBA19 when sharing on social platforms like LinkedIn.

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    An Early Look at the 2019 Acquire or Be Acquired Conference

    Quickly:

    • Bank Director’s 2019 Acquire or Be Acquired Conference takes place next January 27 – 29 at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge in Phoenix, AZ.  To register, click here.

    WASHINGTON, DC — As the last few hours of July tick by, our team continues to build towards next winter(!) and the premier bank M&A event for CEOs, senior management and board members: Bank Director’s annual Acquire or Be Acquired Conference. This special event brings together key bank leaders from across the country to explore merger & acquisition strategies, consolidation trends and financial growth opportunities.

    Earlier this year, we welcomed 1,200+ to the Arizona desert — and anticipate a similar audience when we return a week before next year’s Super Bowl. We’ve recently added a lot of new information on January’s program to BankDirector.com; if you’re interested to see what we’re planning, I invite you to take a look.

    cropped-img_0548.jpg

    In addition to Acquire or Be Acquired, I am really excited to host two conferences before we return to the desert.  On September 10-11 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, we host our very popular Bank Board Training Forum.  This two-day program provides bank directors with the education and training needed to address the issues and challenges facing them in today’s ever competitive, highly regulated and rapidly evolving banking and financial services industry.

    From November 5 – 7, at the Four Seasons Resort & Club Dallas at Las Colinas (a short hop from DFW airport), we convene Bank Director’s annual Bank Compensation & Talent Conference to focus on the recruitment, development and compensation of a bank’s most essential talent.  While in Dallas, leading advisers share their perspectives on building and supporting the best teams by providing first-hand information on the strategies and plans being used by successful banks today.

    If you’re interested in any of these three exceptional programs, you can learn more here.

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    The Best of Bank Director’s 2018 Acquire Or Be Acquired Conference?

    Quickly:

    PHOENIX, AZ — Well, that was fun!  Bank Director’s Acquire or Be Acquired Conference wrapped up on Tuesday evening, and with the benefit of a day to reflect on a jammed-packed experience, a few personal highlights from our time at the Arizona Biltmore.

    Favorite tweets

    Favorite picture

    IMG_0518 2

    I am SO proud to work with such a great team that truly embodies our #1 core cultural value of helping to make other’s successful.

    Three timely (and paraphrased) comments

    When it comes to identifying banks to buy… core deposits are more important than loans — David Zalman, Chairman & CEO, Prosperity Bancshares Inc.

    Earnings accretion is answer 1,2,3,4 and 5 out of five possible answers to the question “what is most important in bank M&A” — Robert G. Sarver, Chairman & CEO, Western Alliance Bancorporation

    If you sell your bank for cash, you’re truly selling your bank.  If you sell your bank for stock, you’re really investing in another’s future — Bill Hickey, Principal, Co-Head, Investment Banking, Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.

    Best comment (unintentional comedy)

    IMG_0607

    On Monday, during the Prioritizing Risk & Reward session that she moderated, our President, Mika Moser, brought the house down.  John Allison, the Chairman of Home BancShares just shared that he’d made a whole lot of millionaires at his bank when Mika deadpanned, “you gotta any available teller positions?”  Great stuff Mika!

    Is this really a case to partner with FinTechs?

    I’ve seen estimates that some 90% of FinTech startups will fail — for a variety of reasons (e.g. no one wants the product, cash shortage, etc).  So, when I do the math and consider that we have some 5,000 FinTechs looking to make it big, only 10% have a realistic chance. Out of these 500 or so companies, only the ones capable of consolidating and expanding across niches will acquire a significant enough footing in the market to ensure resilience and sustainable long-term growth. Banks, start your engines…

    Video Recaps

    In case you missed it, we shared a number of videos on BankDirector.com this week.  The page with all videos can be found here: The Pulse of Acquire or Be Acquired. To get a sense of what these short videos look like, here is an example from Sunday.

    _ _ _

    If you missed the daily recaps shared on LinkedIn, Twitter and BD.com, here is a thumbnail with all the videos created. To playback the conference conversations via our social channels, I invite you to take search #AOBA18 to see what was shared by our attendees.

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    10 Questions I Plan To Ask During Acquire Or Be Acquired

    Quickly:

    • Despite improving economic conditions, the business of banking remains difficult.

    By Al Dominick, CEO of DirectorCorps — parent co. to Bank Director & FinXTech.

    PHOENIX, AZ — For all the talk of bank consolidation, there are still 5,700+ banks in the United States.  But let’s not kid ourselves.  For many community banks today, earnings pressures + regulatory and compliance costs + the continued impact of technology = a recurring challenge.

    While the number of banks in business will inevitably shrink over the next 10 years — perhaps being cut in half — I remain bullish on the overall future of this industry. If December’s tax reform spurs capital spending and job creation by small- and medium-sized businesses, many of the banks joining us here in Arizona stand to benefit. But will the recent tax cut induce companies to invest more than they already planned to? This is but one of a number of questions I look forward to asking on stage through the first day of Bank Director’s Acquire or Be Acquired Conference.

    Below, ten more questions I anticipate asking:

    1. Are FinTechs the industry’s new de novos?
    2. What does it mean that the banking world is deposit rich yet asset poor?
    3. Why are certain credit unions thinking about about buying banks?
    4. In terms of technology spending levels, where are dollars being earmarked and/or spent?
    5. With respect to small business lending, do credit unions or FinTechs pose a more immediate challenge to community banks?
    6. What is an appropriate efficiency ratio for a bank today?
    7. Will big M&A buyers get back in the game this year?
    8. What are some of the critical items in due diligence that are under appreciated?
    9. What does an activist investor look for in a bank?
    10. Is voice recognition the next huge source of growth for banks?

    We have an exciting — and full day — coming up at the Arizona Biltmore. To keep track of the conversations via Twitter, I invite you to follow @AlDominick @BankDirector and @Fin_X_Tech.  In addition, to see all that is shared with (and by) our attendees, we’re using the conference hashtag #AOBA18.

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