DBA Digest for August 8, 2025

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I hate to start you off on a Friday morning with such a depressing topic, but this one seems only to be gaining rather than losing steam. And our members know this all too well! There’s fraud by check, fraud by ATM and other electronic skimming, fraud by cybercrime, fraud by social media misrepresentation (to name just a few methods).

So why highlight it here? Because one of our primary reasons for being and greatest value that we at the DBA/DFEA can offer to you as members is education and training resources to support your employees and customers. So on a topic as prevalent as fraud, it seemed wise to reiterate some of the tools available to serve you in this respect.

From one source alone – the American Bankers Association (ABA) – comes some highly current and focused anti-fraud assets:

• FinCen’s red flags notice on crypto ATM scams, with related state-level news
• ABA’s new fraud and scams peer exchange forum
• The White House’s March Executive Order Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account to shift away from checks, and the ABA’s Treasury Check Verification System (TCVS) to help banks validate government-issued checks before payment
• The ABA’s upcoming AML and Fraud School, running September 8-19, 2025

We don’t mean to overly favor ABA resources or suggest they’re the be-all-and-end-all by any stretch. In fact, we’re certain that many of our associate member law firms, among others, have great anti-fraud resources available as well. We intend for the list above to serve as a useful prompt for thought: What’s missing? What might we find for you to fill gaps in your toolkit or to deliver substance through a more accessible format? We’d love to hear from you.

2025 Foundations of Delaware Trusts!

New Sessions - Live and On-Demand!

CONTINUES, THURSDAY, AUGUST 14th and 21st!

The first session of the new the Foundations of Delaware Trust series aired live this past Thursday and is available for on-demand viewing. The next session is coming this Thursday, August 14th. Each session in the series will be available on-demand making it convenient to educate your entire staff. Don't miss these informative seminars. Sessions are just $199 each for DBA members or $499 for all three!

August 14 - 9:00 a.m.

How to Communicate with Trust Beneficiaries - The When, Why and How of It All

Instructors: Cindy Brown, Director of Special Situs Trusts, Wealth Management, Mechanics Bank; Bobbi Lynn Kent, Chief Fiduciary Officer & Chief Administrative Officer | Senior Vice President, The Northern Trust Company of Delaware.

August 21 - 9:00 a.m.

Trust Modification

Instructors: Michael M. Gordon, Director, Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A.; Elizabeth M. Luk, Head of Delaware Trust, BNY Wealth, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware.

ON-DEMAND!

Estate/Wealth Transfer Planning Techniques - Why the Grantor Created the Trust

Instructors: Matthew P. D'Emilio, Managing Member, McCollom D'Emilio Smith Uebler LLC; Tara S. Hersh, Associate, McCollum D'Emilo Smith Uebler LLC

2025 Women Connect Network- September 19 - Lewes

Don't miss the next Women Connect Networking Event on Friday, September 19 in Lewes, DE at the Biden Environmental Training Center on Cape Henlopen State Park. 

The program will include sessions on Strengthening your Leadership and Networking for Introverts. Attendees will explore their natural leadership and communication styles through self-assessments, group discussions, and strategies to build stronger relationships. Leave with new connections and an organic matching of peer to peer mentoring!

Join us the night before on Thursday, September 18 for additional networking opportunities and plan a stay at the beach! For more information on accommodations email Corinne.Stayton@debankers.com 

2025 Delaware Trust Conference

Great Speakers! Great Topics! Register Today!

The 20th annual edition of the Delaware Trust Conference features more of the top speakers and topics that have made it one of the nation's premiere wealth management events! The 2025 Delaware Trust Conference will be live at The Chase Center on the Riverfront, AND live-streaming, on October 28 & 29, AND on-demand through November for credit! Earn up to 17.0 CLE, including 2.0 Ethics Credits! Register today!

Sponsorships and Exhibitor Space Available!

Join these prestigious sponsors and exhibitors:

Platinum Sponsor

The Bryn Mawr Trust Company of Delaware (a WSFS Company)

Diamond Sponsors

Brown Brothers Harriman

Connolly Gallagher LLP

Gordon, Fournaris & Mammarella, P.A.

McCollom D'Emilio Smith Uebler LLC

Richards Layton & Finger, P.A.

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP

Gold Sponsors

BMO Delaware Trust Company

Brockstedt Mandalas Federico LLC

Charles Schwab

The Glenmede Trust Company of Delaware

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnel LLP

The Northern Trust Company of Delaware

Wilmington Trust

Silver Sponsors

BNY Wealth

Chilton Trust

CIBC Delaware Trust Company

Commonwealth Trust Company

Greenleaf Trust Delaware

Morris James LLP

Pinion

Santora CPA Group

U.S. Trust Company of Delaware

Bronze Sponsor

Duane Morris LLP

Peak Trust Company

Exhibitors

Campbell University Trust and Wealth Management Program

Delaware Community Foundation

FideliTrade

Fiduciary Education Foundation

JTC Trust Company (Delaware) Limited

Koplin Consulting

National Care Advisors

Peak Trust Company

Pinion

TEAM

U.S. House Unanimously Passes Congresswoman McBride Bill to Expand Opportunities for Investors

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act (H.R. 3339), a bipartisan bill led by Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-DE), Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE), Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Congressman Cleo Fields (D-LA). The legislation passed with unanimous, bipartisan support and now advances to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The legislation is Rep. McBride’s first bill to pass the U.S. House of Representatives and it now advances to the Senate.



The bill would modernize the definition of “accredited investor” to allow individuals to qualify for private investment opportunities based on their knowledge and financial sophistication—not just their wealth. It directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to establish a new pathway, administered by The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), for qualifying investors based on demonstrated expertise.

Digital Imperatives: Cash Flow Tools, GenAI & Real-Time Payments— American Banker Complimentary Virtual summit - August 13 

Small business banking is on the brink of a major transformation. Join us on August 13 for Digital Imperatives: Cash Flow Tools, GenAI & Real-Time Payments—a complimentary, half-day virtual summit designed for banking professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve.

This can't-miss event will feature three expert-led sessions exploring how banks can stay ahead by leveraging digital tools that drive efficiency, insights, and speed:

• How Real-Time Payments Can Boost the Speed of Business for SMBs
• How SMBs Can Use GenAI to Unlock Business Opportunities
• Cash-Flow Management Tools Optimize Business Effectiveness

Santora CPA Group is a 2025 Top 400 Firm

Santora CPA Group, a Newark-based Certified Public Accounting and Consulting firm, is pleased to announce that it has recently been recognized for a fourth consecutive year by INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) as a 2025 Top 400 Firm based upon their annual rankings of the largest accounting firms in the nation.

When told of the recognition, SCG’s Managing Director, Heath Kahrs, said, “Our continued recognition for this award is a testament to our team members’ dedication to being right by our clients’ sides year after year. We are very fortunate to have a great team and great clients.”

Monthly Market Insight - August 2025

U.S. Markets - Stocks rode the wave of trade developments and Q2 corporate results to advance last month, pushing market averages to multiple record highs.

The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 2.17 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 3.70 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged 0.08 percent higher.

Stocks rose steadily over the second half of the month as investors viewed trade developments, economic updates, and Q2 corporate results in a positive light. Optimism around the Q2 corporate reporting season gave way to mostly positive market reactions as the actual reports began to roll in.

Don't Miss These Upcoming OnCourse Learning Webinars!

CTRs: Line-by-Line - August 12th

You will receive a CTR Handbook, pages of examples, and lots of instructions for how to complete each part of the CTR. It’s detailed and time consuming to complete CTRs, so we want to get them right. Learn everything you can about CTR completion in this program.

Audience: This session is ideal for BSA officers, BSA staff, CTR analysts, tellers, branch managers, training, and any other person who completes a CTR.

E-Sign Act: Ensuring a Compliant Document Delivery Process - August 13th

Whether electronic delivery of required written disclosures has been occurring for years or it’s on the project list, it is critical that this process is fully compliant because the consequence of non-compliance means that required documents were never sent. This means that a loan could be rescindable for years!

Join us as we will discuss the requirements of the E-Sign Act including notice content, the consent process, and how to audit the process. In addition, we will explain the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act requirements.

Audience: This informative session will be helpful to those responsible for managing online banking, online account opening for both deposit and loan products, as well as compliance officers, risk managers, lending operations, and deposit operations.

Learn more and browse all the webinars via the link below.

Grand Opening of the DEBCC Headquarters & Business Incubator

We are thrilled to invite you to the Grand Opening of the Delaware Black Chamber of Commerce Headquarters + Business Incubator! Join us as we celebrate this exciting new chapter with our official ribbon cutting ceremony.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM. 321 E 11th Street, 3rd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801.

ABA Agricultural Bankers Conference - November 12-14,  St. Louis, MO

Ongoing challenges in the agricultural sector, coupled with economic uncertainty, loom large over your loan portfolio. Do more than just weather the storm — get the tools and actionable insights you need to grow your ag banking business despite tough conditions. Don’t miss the nation’s premier conference for ag lenders — now condensed into 3 jam-packed days to reduce travel costs and time away from your business! Early-bird savings end Sept. 19! Register now and save $300!