Podcasts

Polite disagreement is overrated. Richard Hunt, the former CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association, and Jaret Seiberg, a top bank analyst with Cowen Washington Research Group, spar (and sometimes agree) over several critical topics in financial services. That includes pending Fed changes to capital standards, Zelle alterations, FedNow, CRA reform, FTX's fallout, CFPB’s future, pot banking and much more.

The Fed is proposing to name all nonbank companies that apply for - and ultimately receive - a master account with the central bank. Kyle Campbell, the Fed reporter for American Banker, goes through why this issue matters to banks, how it connects to both a lawsuit and possible legislation, and where it’s going next.

Eugene Ludwig, the former Comptroller of the Currency who led the last successful effort to reform the Community Reinvestment Act, details why the current proposal by regulators needs to be reproposed. He also tackles how banks should be evaluating their fintech partnerships in light of supervisory scrutiny, and how he sees the fintech sector as a managing partner at venture capital fund Canapi Ventures.

It’s been another hectic week in the financial regulatory world, with Democrats unexpectedly outperforming in the midterm elections while separately another crypto meltdown ensued. But what will this mean for bankers? John Heltman, the Washington Bureau Chief of American Banker, and Brendan Pedersen, the financial services reporter for PunchBowl News, provide analysis on Democrats keeping the Senate, Rep. Patrick McHenry as the likely chairman of House Financial Services Committee, and whether the crypto news adds momentum to a stablecoin bill. They also discuss Twitter's nascent plans to become a payments company and offer money market products.

Aaron Klein, the Miriam K. Carliner Chair and senior fellow in Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, discusses how the growth of stablecoins could hurt banks, why financial inclusion isn’t going to be solved by a central bank digital currency and why D.C. always wants to give the Federal Reserve more power.

Two journalists who have covered the CFPB for years grapple with the bewildering array of questions stemming from the recent federal appeals court ruling that said the agency’s funding is unconstitutional. What happens if the Supreme Court upholds the ruling? And how long will it take for the issue to be resolved?

Emily Flitter, a senior banking reporter for the New York Times and author of The White Wall: How Big Finance Bankrupts Black America, discusses why she decided to write the book, what she uncovered, and how discrimination continues to be a formidable challenge.

Two experts on banking and politics – Cam Fine, the former CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America and Ed Yingling, the former CEO of the American Bankers Association – talk about how the different election outcomes will affect the industry. That includes a look at what legislation is likely to pass if the GOP seizes the House and Senate, and what agencies and rules Republicans will target.

Matt Pieniazek, President and CEO of Darling Consulting Group, talks about what banks are doing right - and wrong - as they adjust their balance sheets to the Fed’s unprecedented recent rate hikes. He warns of the most common mistakes banks are making, and how to fix them.

Howard Headlee, the president and CEO of the Utah Bankers Association, takes issue with some bankers’ concern that industrial bank applications by Ford and Rakuten will blur the lines between banking and commerce. He also sharply criticizes banks that sell to credit unions and predicts there will be a legal battle over CRA reform.

Corey LeBlanc, Cofounder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Locality Bank in Florida, talks about how he and his partners got through the notoriously difficult regulatory process to charter a de novo institution. Why did they succeed where so many others have not? He also talks about what Locality Bank is doing differently than other institutions, including its approach to fintech partnerships.

Alex Marsh, head of global policy at Klarna, talks about the company’s response to the CFPB report last week that called for buy-now, pay-later firms to be regulated and examined like credit cards. He also discusses the growth of the sector, including the recent drop in valuations for BNPL firms, and where he sees it going next.

Darrin Williams, the CEO of Southern Bancorp. in Arkansas, talks about how a huge capital infusion from the Treasury Department’s Emergency Capital Investment Program is changing his bank and how similar infusions are impacting fellow community development financial institutions.

Lauren Anderson, Senior Vice President at the Bank Policy Institute, discusses the various approaches regulators are taking, both internationally and in the U.S., to banks and climate change - and how institutions are responding. That includes blowback to the SEC’s proposed climate disclosure standards and new climate guidelines from the FDIC and OCC.

Karen Thomas, the outgoing Senior Executive Vice President of government relations and public policy at the Independent Community Bankers of America, talks about how the political influence of community banks has changed in the past two decades - and the biggest policy challenges facing them now. Those include closing the ILC loophole, CBDCs, and more.

Ramon Looby, the head of the Maryland Bankers Association, talks about financial education, financial inclusion and how crypto impacts both. He also tackles the need for a cannabis banking bill and what it’s like to be the first black leader of a state banking trade group.

Brad Tidwell, CEO and President of VeraBank in Texas, talks about how he is handling some of the biggest issues facing his institution and the industry, including his response to Fed interest rate hikes, how the bank finds new customers, and the struggle for talent acquisition. He also reveals the prize possession in his classic rock memorabilia collection.

The always quotable Richard Hunt, who is the departing president and CEO of the Consumer Bankers Association, sits down to reflect on his tenure, including his biggest regret and what it was like to manage a large-bank trade group during the financial crisis and the pandemic. He also looks forward, discussing his views on CRA reform, student lending, CBDCs and more. Bonus: Richard goes through a “lightning round,” where he must give his reactions to a range of topics in under 30 seconds.

Nicole Lorch, President and Chief Operating Officer of First Internet Bank, talks about how the bank has altered its approach from its start as the first state-chartered, FDIC-insured institution to operate entirely online. She also discusses its recent decision to eliminate overdraft fees, raise its minimum wage, and why its recent acquisition of First Century Bank was called off.

Jill Castilla, the president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond in Oklahoma, talks about the different ways her $354 million-asset bank has expanded its reach and stays relevant, including launching a new niche lending platform designed to help veterans get mortgages. She also discusses staffing challenges, why her bank launched a music festival and the biggest issues facing the industry.