Learn How Other Directors Deal with the Issues
Nancy E. Sheppard, WIB President & CEO

Want to know how other independent bank directors in the West deal with succession planning, executive and director’s compensation, board evaluations, balance sheet risk and M&A trials and tribulations? Join more than 100 other bank directors at our Annual Directors Conference in November in the Palm Springs area. You’ll hear from experts who deal with these and more issues daily, plus share ideas with other directors. You can’t beat this Conference for a two-day immersion into issues designed just for independent bank directors.

Strategic Issues

Strategy 101, Part VII
By Cass Bettinger, Cass Bettinger & Associates

In this column we will discuss “the quality growth imperative”, which may well be the single greatest challenge facing the boards and executive teams of America ’s community banks. <read more> 

Why Plan? Why Not Just Change?
By John Oliver, Laurel Management Systems

This question was posed to me by a community bank CEO. His board recognized a need for a shift in their business model but he felt he could achieve change without planning. My response - If we don’t plan professionally we will be competitively flattened!
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Are All Directors Pulling Their Oar?
By Howard Gould, Carpenter & Company

There might be times when we look at ourselves and ponder why we invited “John or Jane” to become a director in the first place? Are there things we can do to deal with poor performers? Are there some “up or out” actions we can take? <read more>

M&A Environment 

The Bank Merger and Acquisition Frenzy
By Philip Smith, Gerrish McCreary Smith, PC

Notwithstanding the current and seemingly daily shift in the stock market and overall economic conditions, bank acquisition activity continues to be strong. What is spurring this trend? This article explores the key factors that may be impacting why banks are continuing the acquisition frenzy.  <read more>

Mergers & Acquisitions in Challenging Times
By James Rockett, Bingham McCutchen LLP

Those of us who have populated the world of banking for a long time have known from experience that the good times could not last forever. High stock valuations, near-zero credit problems, unprecedented earnings growth are wonderful while they last but, as our instincts have told us, the pendulum will swing back. And, it appears that the meltdown of the subprime market may be the catalyst for the return of greater challenges for commercial banks, and particularly community banks. <read more>