News for Virginia's Hometown Banks | | | This issue of the Community Bank Leader is presented by Brown Edwards, CPAs | | |
VACB Finishing the Year Off Strong With Key Educational Offerings
VACB is currently working on 2027 programs and dates and will be sharing soon! We will finish the year with our Fourth Quarter Compliance and Operations Forums in early December. Check the VACB website for when those programs are populated with the agendas.
More details to follow, but VACB is partnering with ePay Resources for a final webinar for the year. Crissy Terry will present Fraudster's Paradise in early December. The session explores how criminals exploit electronic and instant payments, use social engineering, and bypass bank controls. Through real-world case studies, Crissy will share practical steps to strengthen your bank’s fraud defenses. Check the VACB website for program and registration details!
Additional Programs (more details to follow soon)
Fourth Quarter Compliance Form Meetings: Dec.1 - SW/Zoom & Dec. 3 - Central
Fourth Quarter Operations Forum - Dec.15-16, Hotel 24 South
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Bank of Botetourt President & CEO Michelle Austin Appointed to Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Advisory Council
"Bank of Botetourt announces that Michelle R. Austin, president and chief executive officer, has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond's Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council.
The Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council, or CDIAC, provides the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond and the Federal Reserve Board of Governors with perspectives on economic conditions, banking trends and issues affecting community financial institutions throughout the Fifth Federal Reserve District, which includes Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C., and most of West Virginia."
To read more from Bank of Botetourt (10/27/2026) click HERE
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Cville Local Experts: Community Watch: Fraud Safety
"What happens when you or someone you love is targeted by a fraudulent email, computer pop-up, or text message? There is an urgency that causes confusion and impulsive decisions. We’ve all been there, but we don’t always know what to do. At Virginia National Bank, they have a fraud expert on staff. Sherrie Huber, VNB’s fraud expert, Chief Operations Officer and Audit Manager, says their local customers have received as many as half of million attempts of fraud per month.
'What we’ve been seeing is that customers will either get a call or a pop up on their computer and they’ll either answer the call or call the number that pops up on their computer and they go through a series of you’ve gotten a virus on your computer and they’re going to connect you to your bank,' Huber said on the Virginia National Bank: My Forever Bank podcast. “What actually happens is you think they’re connecting you and they’re on the line with you and you hear welcome to Virginia National Bank and what they’re doing is they’re ending the call and a person from their call center is coming on and you think that’s a bank employee.'”
To read more from Cville Right Now (10/30/2026) click HERE
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Caught on Camera: Thousands of Dollars Stolen After Person Followed from Virginia Bank, Police Say
"Fairfax County police are seeking the public’s help identifying a man accused of stealing cash from a bank customer in Annandale, Virginia.
Police said a person withdrew $2,400 from a bank in the 4400 block of Backlick Road on Oct. 23. Investigators believe the suspected man watched the individual at the bank and followed them to a nearby gas station.
While the person went inside the gas station, the man entered the victim’s vehicle and stole the cash before fleeing the area, according to police.
Surveillance video captured the suspect in the act and the vehicle detectives believe was used in the theft. Police released the footage and are asking anyone with information to contact investigators."
To read more from WTOP News (11/1/2026) click HERE
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Spanberger Orders Statewide Plan to Address AI-Related Cyberattacks
"Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued an executive directive to strengthen the Commonwealth’s cybersecurity and address risks posed by artificial intelligence.
Executive Directive 6 instructs the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security to develop a statewide plan to prevent and respond to cyberattacks and strengthen the resilience of critical infrastructure.
The directive also calls for the creation of a Cyber Consortium to improve coordination among public safety leaders, emergency management personnel, state agencies, colleges and universities, and private-sector partners.
The move follows reports of AI models taking actions beyond their instructions, including accessing government websites. Earlier this month, Anthropic disclosed that some of its AI agents took unintended actions on local, state and federal government websites, including submitting fake Freedom of Information Act requests on a Virginia Department of Education website."
To read more from 13 News Now (10/23/2026) click HERE
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Southwest and Southside Virginia's Advanced Manufacturing Tech Hub to Receive About $25 Million in Federal Supplemental Disaster Funding Meant for Economic Development
"Emerging technologies, new products and advanced training for a growing workforce are at the center of a $24.8 million U.S. Economic Development Administration grant for Southwest and Southside Virginia’s advanced manufacturing tech hub.
The grant, announced this week, comes from the American Relief Act of 2025, a Biden-era initiative supporting economic recovery in areas struck by hurricanes, flooding and other natural disasters in 2023 and 2024. The Trump administration has continued to carry out the act’s allocations, including about $1.45 billion from its Disaster Supplemental Grant Program, according to an economic development administration news release."
To read more from Cardinal News (10/28/2026) click HERE
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Who is for Data Centers? The Midterm Issue Crossing Party Lines
"As midterms approach, political analysts and voters alike are mapping out where candidates align on key issues. But one rapidly growing debate in the D.C. region defies standard party politics: the future of data centers.
Data centers have emerged as a rare national issue that neither major political party has officially claimed or standardized. Whether a candidate in Maryland or Virginia supports full expansion, wants strict guardrails, or demands an outright ban largely comes down to the individual politician rather than their political party label.
From Loudoun County, Virginia, to Prince George’s County, Maryland—and nearly everywhere in between—the rapid expansion of data centers has sparked widespread community pushback and resident outrage over land use, noise, water usage, and energy demands."
To read more from the WUSA9 (10/28/2026) click HERE
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Less Than a Third of Localities Approve New Sales Tax to Fund School Construction
"Voters in more than 40 communities across the state went to the polls this election cycle to determine whether to increase their taxes to fund school construction and major repairs.
As of 11:15 p.m., voters in 14 of those communities were projected to have approved measures to implement an additional 1% sales tax dedicated specially for school construction.
In 29, voters rejected the measure.
Results were still pending in five other localities, including Franklin County.
So far, the measure has been approved in Albemarle, Chesterfield, Middlesex, Prince Edward and Rappahannock counties and in the cities of Buena Vista, Charlottesville, Fairfax, Lexington, Martinsville, Radford, Staunton, Waynesboro and Winchester.
It failed in Alleghany, Amelia, Augusta, Essex, Floyd, Fluvanna, Giles, Grayson, Green, Greensville, Isle of Wight, King and Queen, Madison, Mathews, Nelson, Nottoway, Orange, Powhatan, Pulaski, Smyth, Stafford, Sussex, Wythe and York counties, and in the cities of Covington, Emporia, Norfolk and Portsmouth. "
To read more from Cardinal News (11/3/2026) click HERE
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Virginia Proposes Shifting Construction Funds to Tackle 1.7 Billion Highway Maintenance Gap
"As Virginia stares down a $1.7 billion highway-maintenance gap, the Commonwealth Transportation Board is considering a plan to close it by shifting funds away from construction and transportation projects.
The plan introduced at the board’s Oct. 13 meeting proposes adding $239 million annually for pavement repairs starting in fiscal year 2028, while redirecting funds and using $300 million in GARVEE bonds to soften construction cuts.
Virginia law requires the state to prioritize maintaining its transportation assets, including bridges and pavement, which have increased over the past 20 years. Rising highway repair costs and budget decisions that prioritized construction over maintenance last year created the deficit.
Smart Scale funding, a grant program for transportation projects, would decrease by about 25% under the proposed plan. Since the program was established in 2016, it has awarded $7.6 billion to transportation projects across the commonwealth."
To read more from Virginia Mercury (10/28/2026) click HERE
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Lawmakers Pitch Reform for Virginia's Building Code Update to Boost Supply, Affordability
"Every three years, Virginia updates its building code, requirements for new construction that account for safety standards and energy efficiency.
As the state readies for its next update cycle in 2027, some lawmakers are flagging a series of reforms they argue can help increase housing supply and address affordability issues.
A 2021 state study found that Virginia had a housing shortage of at least 200,000 units. Virginians most affected by lack of affordable housing are renters, have low incomes and often work in essential occupations, the study also found.
Lawmakers have since proposed various building code updates and worked to pass numerous housing laws as a remedy.
Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, and Del. Adele McClure, D-Alexandria, sent a joint letter to leadership of Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development on Oct. 21 outlining their latest recommendations."
To read more from Virginia Mercury (10/22/2026) click HERE
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ICBA, Open AI Partner to Bring AI-Powered Cybersecurity Tools to Community Banks
Security Systems News - 10/23/2026
The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) and OpenAI have announced a strategic alliance aimed at expanding community banks' access to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cybersecurity capabilities...READ MORE
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The One-Way Door: Why Credit Unions Buying Banks is the Growth Story of the Decade
CUInsight - 10/28/2026
Credit unions have become some of the most active buyers of community banks, while banks almost never buy credit unions. A fair price, member retention, the loan portfolio, and human capital all get hard scrutiny before a deal..READ MORE
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Federal Appeals Court Upholds Ruling on Too-High Debit Card Swipe Fees Convenience Store News - 10/28/2026
A ruling that overturned the Federal Reserve's 2011 cap on debit card swipe fees will stand after the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district court ruling from August 2025. On Oct. 26, a three-judge panel of the...READ MORE
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How Bank Lobby's Suit Tests OCC's Crypto Charter Powers
Ballard Spahr - 10/26/2026
The Independent Community Bankers of America has taken its long-running opposition to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency's chartering of cryptocurrency companies to the courts. On Oct. 2, the ICBA filed....READ MORE
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OCC Calls on Community Banks to Enter the Stablecoin Payments Market
Coin Desk - 10/26/2026
The U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) on Monday called on community banks to enter the stablecoin market, including by applying for permission to issue their own dollar-pegged tokens....READ MORE
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Congress Stalled on Crypto. The OCC has Mapped a Way Forward
Bloomberg Law - 10/30/2026
The Digital Asset Market Clarity Act failed a key vote in the Senate last month. Without a framework for spot crypto trading overseen by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, non-security crypto markets still lack....READ MORE
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How Community Banks And Credit Unions Are Using AI
Forbes - 11/3/2026
For the past few years the world’s largest financial institutions have been making big investment in AI. But now, it’s the smaller players that are starting to make big bets. Community banks and credit unions are finding practical uses...READ MORE
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Banks Buy the Same Fraud Tools But Get Different Results
Pymnts - 10/26/2026
Regional and community banks and credit unions surveyed by PYMNTS Intelligence now report behavioral analytics and artificial intelligence adoption approaching the levels seen with large banks, although their financial results remain....READ MORE
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US Community Banks and Credit Unions Report Increase in Money Laundering Sessions
BioCatch - 10/21/2026
Between the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026, U.S. community banks and credit unions saw a 25% increase in the number of digital banking sessions during which the user attempted to launder money. The average...READ MORE
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Consumers Face Rising Check Fraud Risks as Paper Payments Decline
Demokratis - 10/24/2026
Americans who continue mailing paper checks face growing financial risks as criminals exploit mail theft and increasingly sophisticated technology to alter checks and steal money. Consumer advocates and banking experts are.....READ MORE
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The BSA/AML Enforcement Lessons Community Banks and Fintechs Can't Afford to Ignore
Wolters Kluwer - 11/2/2026
In October 2026, federal regulators announced civil money penalties totaling $1.2 billion against Bank of America and $350 million against American Express for significant BSA/AML compliance deficiencies. The enforcement...READ MORE
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The Community Bank's AI Moment: Modernize Without Losing What Made You Different
CIO Applications - 10/2026
I've spent the last few years helping banks think about AI, not the boardroom pitch version, but the operational reality. The most important thing I've learned is that community banks aren't behind. They just have a different...READ MORE
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Upcoming Training Opportunities with VACB
Q4 Compliance Forum SW/Zoom - December 1 - Abingdon
Q4 Compliance Forum Central - December 3 - Richmond
Q4 Operations Forum - December 15 - 16 - Staunton
Check the VACB Website for all the program details!
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3rd Quarter 2026 Bank Trends Webinar
Tuesday, November 10 | 11:30 am - 12:30 pm EST
Topics:
The following data and trends will be discussed:
- Balance Sheet Changes Including Loan Growth, Deposit Growth, and Liquidity Levels
- Bank Performance Ratios Including Net Interest Margins, Earning Asset Yield, Cost of Funds, and Return on Assets
- Liquidity Ratios Including Loan-to-Deposit Ratios and Liquid Asset Ratios
- Asset Quality Ratios
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VACB always has a great lineup of webinar trainings for our members!
Nov. 9 - 1099 Reporting: Foreclosures, Repossessions & Debt Settlements
Nov. 9 - The Branch Manager's Toolkit Part 1: A Guide to Team Development
Nov. 10 - IRA Series: Traditional IRA Discretionary & Required Minimum Distributions
Nov. 10 - ACH Reclamations & Garnishments
Nov. 12 - Elder Exploitation: Prevention Tips, Tools & Internal Controls
Nov. 12 - Annual MLO Training & SAFE Act Compliance
Nov. 16 - Robbery Prevention & Response: Beyond the Basics
Nov. 16 - New Guidance on "Non-Work Authorized" Individuals: Lending, BSA & Other Compliance Implications for Your Institution
Nov. 17 - Unpacking E-SIGN: Consent Process, Risks & Compliance
Nov. 17 - BSA: Money Laundering in Residential Real Estate and Mortgage Loan Fraud
Nov. 18 - Opening Trusts & Other Fiduciary Accounts
Nov. 18 - The IRS Auto Loan Interest Deduction: Final Rule & Form 1098-VLI Reporting
Nov. 19 - Fraud Series: Developing Effective Fraud Response Procedures
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Building Your Story: Crafting an Effective CRA Performance Context
November 10 | Livestream
Your CRA performance context is your opportunity to tell your institution’s story. In this session, you’ll learn how to develop a compelling, well-supported performance context that highlights your market conditions, community needs, and strategic approach. ICBA/CRA Solutions cover what regulators look for, how to gather and organize data, and techniques for presenting your narrative in a way that strengthens your CRA exam results.
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ICBA Education - Ongoing Offerings
ICBA provides community bankers with premier and industry-specific education for every career stage. Our proven, comprehensive curriculum of best-in-class education is offered through multiple delivery channels to fit the needs and busy schedules of today’s community bankers.
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