DBA Digest for August 7, 2026 | | |
Through the
DBA Lens
Renee Duncan
Member Support Manager &
Accounting Assistant
Will We Get an A?
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Teach Children to Save Day, Keys to Financial Success, the David G. Bakerian Scholarship — we at the Delaware Bankers are vocal advocates of financial education. It's in our name after all. In last year's legislative session, we were proud supporters of HB203, the requirement to provide financial education in high schools across the state. We celebrated its passage and are excited about what lies ahead for our partner in this area, the University of Delaware's Center for Economic Education & Entrepreneurship (CEEE), as they build out the resources to support teachers in delivering on the new requirement.
And yet sometimes it can be challenging to demonstrate the value, the impact, of providing a foundation of financial knowledge. We do know, thanks to the Federal Reserve and a bevvy of research they've shared with us, that "Overall, research from the past ten years has shown positive effects of high school personal finance courses on financial behaviors. This includes outcomes such as higher credit scores, fewer defaults on loans, better decisions about paying for college, better decisions about paying down debt, increased financial capability, and various other measures of financial well-being."
It turns out that the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) (previously in partnership with the Champlain College Center for Financial Literacy) have regularly issued a National Report Card on High School Financial Literacy. The report provides some overarching information and then gives a grade to each state that has a financial education requirement. You can check out the most recent report here. What will Delaware's grade be once we are included in the report? Let's shoot for the top, neighbors!
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Join the Next
ABA Hispanic/Latin Bankers Unidos Event
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Join in on this session to explore what it means to build executive presence without compromising your identity, especially when navigating spaces where you may be the only one who looks or sounds like you. Participants will reflect on what to unlearn, what to hold onto, and how to lead authentically and confidently. Open to all ABA members.
August 13 | 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. ET | Virtual
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The Delaware State Chamber of Commerce and it's Delaware Employers &
Employees Education Fund are partnering with the Delaware Bankers Association
to host a candidate forum ahead of the primary election on September 15, 2026.
Featuring:
- Ted Lauzen
- Mike Miller
- Micahel A. Smith
A light breakfast will be provided. Pre-registration is required.
August 27 | 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. ET | Wilmington
| | Building Wealth Starts with Access to Capital | |
If owning a home is the leading way to build wealth in a community, owning a business comes next. But that path only stays open if local business owners can actually get the funding they need.
Join the Delaware Bankers Association on August 27 for drinks, networking, and a discussion on business lending. We’re bringing small business owners, lenders, and community partners together to talk through challenges and share useful tools to expand capital across our state. A big thanks to our featured lending partners for helping make this happen:
🔹Pursuit
🔹C8 Network
🔹B Generous
Come grab a drink and help keep the business community thriving!
August 27 | 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET | Wilmington
| | 2026 Delaware Trust Conference
Early Bird Registration Available Now! | | |
Join us October 27-28, 2026, at the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, Delaware, for one of the nation's premier educational and networking events for trust and wealth management professionals. Attend in person or virtually via live stream and gain valuable insights from nationally recognized speakers and industry leaders.
Highlights include:
- Partnership Tax "Hacks" with Paul Lee
- Preventing Trust Breakdowns (Ethics)
- Delaware Trust Act & Legislative Update
- Delaware Court of Chancery Panel
- Federal Tax Update with Sam Donaldson
- Review of Significant Fiduciary Litigation Decisions
- Trust Situs and Conflict of Laws with Professor Robert Sitkoff
- Expanded breakout sessions on emerging issues and industry trends
With more than 450 professionals attending each year, participants can earn up to 16.0 CLE credits, including 2.0 Ethics credits.
Register online today and reserve your spot!
Sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities available.
October 27 - 28 | 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. ET | Wilmington
| | Ask the Senate to Protect Lending in Local Communities by Closing the Payment of Interest Loophole | | |
In July, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act to regulate payment stablecoins and protect consumers, including a ban on issuers offering interest. However, a loophole allows non-issuers to offer rewards, creating confusion and risk for consumers while potentially draining deposits from community banks and limiting local lending. Last week lawmakers in the Senate Banking Committee voted to approve the related and long-awaited Clarity Act establishing a regulatory framework around digital assets. The latest version of this bill chips away at the stablecoin loophole but still leaves space that we believe needs to be addressed in order to protect lending in communities.
Banks support responsible innovation and appreciate the ongoing bipartisan work to preserve local lending by closing the stablecoin loophole. We believe lawmakers should clarify the prohibition on interest and yield, eliminate provisions that could be used to circumvent congressional intent, and better align the bill’s text with the goal of protecting consumers and financial stability.
Ask your Senators to close the interest loophole to protect lending in local communities.
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T. Gschwender & Associates Joins The Bonadio Group
Strategic expansion strengthens Bonadio's Advisory & Consulting services and capabilities for financial institutions
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The Bonadio Group, a Top 50 CPA firm, has announced plans to join with T. Gschwender & Associates (TGA), a provider of credit risk management services for financial institutions. The deal is expected to close on August 16, at which point TGA will begin operating as part of the Internal Audit Business Unit within The Bonadio Group’s Advisory & Consulting service line.
The strategic expansion strengthens Bonadio's ability to serve banks, credit unions and other financial institutions by adding specialized expertise in credit risk management, loan review and regulatory advisory services.
| Monetary Policy Perspective: Keeping an Open Mind | In an essay, Philadelphia Fed President and CEO Anna Paulson shares her views on the economy and monetary policy. | An investment venture fund created in 2023 continues helping small businesses and entrepreneurs | | |
West End Neighborhood House’s Launcher program is a recipient of support from the Delaware Community Investment Venture Fund.
Through the fund Stepping Stones Federal Credit Union will receive $469,000 to provide accessible lines of credit to small businesses and community-based organizations.
The fund offers access to capital for small businesses and entrepreneurs traditionally denied loans to build businesses by banking institutions.
As many as 45 graduates of the Launcher program may receive loans of up to $10,000 each.
"So we're able to work with our community banks, our CDFI's - Community Development Financial Institutions - and our local credit unions to now bolster that ecosystem around access to capital, access to loans, to build out in our state, an economic ecosystem where businesses can grow here in the First State," said State Senator Darius Brown.
| | CAFE Launches FItech Leaders Circle,
Bringing Bankers and Fintech Founders Together for Executive Collaboration | |
CAFE announced the launch of its inaugural CAFE FItech Leaders Circle, an executive peer forum believed to be the first program of its kind to bring together a small cohort of financial institution (FI) leaders and fintech founders for structured collaboration.
Unlike conferences, networking events, or traditional accelerator programs, the FITech Leaders Circle is intentionally designed as a trusted executive think tank. Over five weeks, an intentionally small group of banking leaders and fintech leaders will engage in candid discussions about the opportunities and challenges shaping financial services, with an emphasis on collaboration over competition.
The inaugural cohort will explore “Financial Education & Credit Building: LMI Client Wealth Building and Sustainability,” examining how banks and fintech innovators can work together on banking innovations that lead to better financial outcomes for consumers through technology and partnerships. This gathering is not about selling. It’s about collaboration, thought leadership, new ideas, and innovation.
| | Delaware governor’s order sets ethics standard for unclaimed property task force not applied to other legislative committees | |
An executive order recently issued by Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer has been raising eyebrows, with some questioning the purpose and others cheering the move.
Executive Order 25 establishes a conflict of interest policy for members of Meyer’s administration who would serve on the newly created legislative unclaimed property taskforce. It applies just to that task force.
It asks that state legislators, who created the task force and will appoint the majority of the members, also follow the policy when staffing the panel, particularly when selecting members of the public.
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American Bankers Association AI in Banking Workshop | |
AI adoption is accelerating across the industry. The banks that gain an advantage won't just invest in technology. They'll invest in employees who know how to use it.
ABA's AI in Banking Workshop starts August 3 and will help employees build practical AI skills they can apply across the institution, turning awareness into action and preparing your organization for what's next.
Over four weeks, your team will:
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Explore practical AI use cases across banking functions
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Build prompt engineering skills that drive stronger results
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Apply governance and risk considerations for responsible AI use
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Identify opportunities to improve productivity and decision-making
Investing in AI readiness today can help position your organization to adapt and thrive as technology continues to evolve.
August 3 - 28, 2026 | 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET | Virtual
| Apply Now for Youth Banking Connect Academy | |
Banking access is foundational to financial stability. Across the country, dozens of local governments have used their Summer Youth Employment Programs (SYEPs) and other youth workforce programs as an opportunity to connect youth workers to safe and affordable banking accounts, demonstrating how an early job can be a first step towards a strong financial future. Your youth workforce program can join this movement, adding banking access and targeted financial education to help participants make the most of their paycheck and achieve broader financial stability.
The CFE Fund is excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for Youth Banking Connect Academy, our entry point for the Youth Banking Connect (YBC) initiative, formerly known as Summer Jobs Connect. With generous support from the KeyBank Foundation and other partners, YBC Academy participants will receive no-cost, robust technical assistance to learn how to integrate banking access into their youth workforce programs, build partnerships with financial institutions, deliver financial education, and leverage data to improve program performance. Academy participants will join the national Youth Banking Connect learning community. They also will receive support to attend an in-person YBC Academy convening, access to our robust resource library, and more. We are also excited to continue to offer expanded eligibility for YBC: any youth program that provides a paid work opportunity to youth ages 14-24 and has a government connection can now apply to YBC Academy.
The CFE Fund will hold an informational webinar about the YBC Academy opportunity on August 13th at 3:00 pm ET. Note: we strongly encourage interested participants to attend the webinar before filling out the application.
August 13 | 3:00 p.m. ET | Virtual
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Got a Project You Need Resourced?
Submit it for Action Via the
University of Delaware Lerner Technology Capstone
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The Lerner Technology Capstone (LTC) is a one-semester program where senior management information systems (MIS) students from the University of Delaware partner with client organizations to identify business improvement opportunities and deliver custom technology solutions. Running from February through May each year, the 13-week program is structured in two phases: students begin by conducting a thorough needs analysis and developing a comprehensive proposal, then transition to building, implementing, and training clients on their solutions.
Have a project in mind? Submit your idea below for Spring 2027! All project ideas must be submitted by Friday, August 28th.
| Elevate Your Bank’s Audit and Compliance Strategies | |
The regulatory environment continues to evolve, making it more important than ever for
compliance, audit and risk professionals to stay informed. Join bankers from across the
country for the 2026 Bank Compliance & Audit Conference, a three-day virtual event
taking place September 1-3.
Designed for compliance officers, auditors, risk managers and bank leaders, this
conference delivers practical guidance on the issues shaping today's banking
environment. Featured sessions will cover AI-powered compliance, AI governance,
digital KYC and customer due diligence, the Federal Reserve's Large Financial
Institution Rating System, global internal audit standards, fair lending, BSA information
sharing, examination readiness, ISO auditing and physical security testing.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen your institution’s compliance program, prepare for
your next examination or better understand emerging risks, you’ll leave with practical
strategies and actionable insights from experienced industry professionals.
September 1 - 3, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Virtual
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Submit Your Idea for
Reinventing Delaware
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The Pete du Pont Freedom Foundation is thrilled to announce the return of the highly anticipated Reinventing Delaware Dinner on November 18, at the Wilmington Club where it was first held in 2014. As a beacon of innovation, this year’s event promises to bring together visionaries, business leaders, community stakeholders, and creative minds from across the state to foster collaboration and share groundbreaking ideas aimed at catalyzing job growth, enhancing the economy, and making Delaware an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.
PDFF invites you to submit your bold idea for a chance to join an exclusive gathering of industry leaders for dinner. Public submission is open now through Oct. 30, 2026.
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2026 ABA Agricultural Bankers Conference
November 4-6, 2026 | Minneapolis, MN
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Today’s agricultural lending environment is full of risks — and opportunities. The 2026 Agricultural Bankers Conference will help position your loan portfolio to maximize growth now and seed profitability for the next ag cycle.
This year’s conference program will help you strategize at a higher level to navigate federal policies, national hot-topic issues, talent development and emerging technologies that will affect you and the future-focused decisions you need to make.
Join ag bankers from across the country in Minneapolis for the leading national conversation shaping the future of ag lending! Our event is condensed into 3 jam-packed days to reduce travel costs and time away from your business. Register early to save $300!
November 4-6, 2026 | Minneapolis, MN
| | Urge Congress to support the SAFE Banking Act | | |
Back in October 2024, as Delaware prepared for its launch of the state’s legal adult-use cannabis industry, state lawmakers approved legislation, proposed by State Treasurer Colleen Davis, providing protections for banks and other financial institutions that serve licensed marijuana businesses. Legislation protecting banks serving legal marijuana businesses can help bridge the gap between state legalization and federal banking laws.
Now we have a chance to close the gap in how federal and state law treat cannabis businesses, as the SAFE Banking Act (S. 4942/H.R. 9471) has been (re)introduced in Congress. This legislation would allow banks to serve cannabis-related businesses if their state (like ours) has legalized cannabis in some capacity.
Reach out to your Senators and Representative today and ask them to support the SAFE Banking Act. You can do so easily at the link below. Share it with your colleagues and community!
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