DBA Digest for January 9, 2026

As you can imagine, as the Delaware Financial Education Alliance, we talk about, advocate for, and support all kinds of methods and venues for financial education. We believe a baseline level of financial facility goes a long way towards not just a healthy life but a productive one: one in which individuals have the capabilities to support themselves and their families and contribute to the economic livelihood of our communities.

One-way, written-word formats for communicating financial literacy concepts are myriad: websites, blog posts, news and journal articles, textbooks, FAQs, emails and the like. The best way to teach something like this, though? Live and in person! That’s why we’re excited to kick off planning and volunteer/sponsorship solicitation for this year’s Teach Children to Save Day – a misnomer, to be fair, since it’s a whole week long. Officially taking place on April 21^st, and supported the whole week of April 20^th, this year marks the 28^th year of Delaware’s TCTSD and the 17^th year in which our own Greg Koseluk will have produced original content to share with our grade school students across Delaware. Last year over 90% of Delaware’s banks participated in this exceptional, and exceptionally interactive, event – will you join us this year? More information is below.

Even outside of TCTSD, our members are contributing to financial education in valuable ways. Take, for example, the hands-on learning our board member Yanina Sgroppo Emerick, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for County Bank, offered to sixth graders at the Cape Henlopen School District’s Frederick D. Thomas Middle School in December. From scams and fraud, protecting personal information and identifying suspicious online content, to foundational money management skills, “[t]eaching financial education at a young age empowers students to build safe, responsible habits early on,” she noted.

For education in the opposite direction – to our members rather than from our members – we have crafted a current-events conversation on securing banks against evolving fraud tactics such as check and credit card fraud, spoofing and social engineering. Please join us on January 30^th from 9-10:30am for a virtual webinar. Your attendance and participation will help make it one of those most-valuable interactive dialogues that serve us best, with financial education that truly sticks.

Vector Defense: Securing Banks Against Evolving Fraud Tactics - January 30th

Join the Delaware Bankers Association on Friday, January 30th, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m., for an insightful Zoom webinar where we’ll dive into common attack vectors fraudsters use to exploit banks and trust companies. Our discussion will cover: Check & Card Fraud; Spoofing Techniques; and Social Engineering Tactics. You’ll gain valuable insights into: current fraud trends impacting the industry; real-world examples of attacks; and practical mitigation strategies to safeguard your organization.


Yanina Sgroppo Emerick, Senior VP & Chief Compliance Officer, County Bank, will moderate the panel comprised of: Patrick Smith, SVP, Fraud Operations Management, American Bankers Association; Christopher Salone, CISA Principal, FoxPointe Solutions; and Russell Taylor, President, Finovifi. Register today via the link below.

2026 Washington Visit Sponsorships Available

The Delaware Bankers Association will host its annual Washington Visit on March 4th and 5th, bringing Delaware bankers to the nation’s capital for timely briefings and direct engagement on federal policy issues impacting the banking industry. The visit will feature a robust agenda, including specialized sessions tailored for trust companies that address regulatory, fiduciary, and tax-related developments, as well as a dedicated Emerging Leaders track designed to cultivate the next generation of banking professionals through policy discussions, networking, and leadership-focused programming. As the DBA’s flagship federal advocacy event, the Washington Visit offers participants a valuable opportunity to connect with peers, policymakers, and industry experts.

Sponsorships are now available for the 2026 DBA Washington Visit. Put your firm front and center with key industry leaders and policymakers. A range of sponsorship opportunities are available to fit your engagement goals, from the popular Wednesday Reception & Dinner Sponsorship, which includes attendance for four representatives, to the Thursday Lunch Sponsorship, allowing two representatives to participate.

All sponsors enjoy added visibility and value, including virtual attendance at the ABA Briefing, recognition in the Washington Visit Agenda Book, on-site event signage, and acknowledgment at the Washington Visit Reception—making these sponsorships a high-impact way to connect, network, and be recognized during this important annual visit. See the full details via the link below and contact Corinne Stayton to reserve your place at this prestigious event.

2026 Teach Children to Save Day,

April 27th to May 1st
Volunteer Registration Open!
Sponsorships Available!

Banker Volunteer Registration is now open for the 28th Annual Teach Children to Save Day in Delaware, the week of April 27. Teaching is fun and easy with complete materials and training provided. Bankers can volunteer and receive detailed information via the link below.

This year’s program once again features an original, student-friendly comic book starring the Great Investo, Penny, and Saveroo the Savings Genie. Developed in partnership with the University of Delaware, the comic highlights five essential tools to saving and reinforces key concepts through engaging games and puzzles that students enjoy and educators praise.

We invite your bank to support this impactful initiative by sponsoring the 2026 Teach Children to Save Day and comic book. Sponsorship ensures that every participating student receives a copy of the comic and helps the program continue reaching classrooms across Delaware. All sponsors will be recognized in the comic book and event materials, with logo placement based on sponsorship level. Join these prestigious organizations already sponsoring: Barclays, Artisans' Bank, County Bank, First Citizens Community Bank, and Shore United. If you are interested in sponsoring this year’s comic book, please contact Greg Koseluk.

ABA AI in Banking Workshop

January 15 - February 2, 2026

Become the AI leader your organization needs. This new, four-week blended learning workshop gives bankers the confidence, knowledge and tools to put Artificial Intelligence into practice each day. Its banking-specific content makes it the only AI workshop specifically for bankers.

Week 1: January 15 | 2–3 PM ET - Topic: AI Types & Applications in Banking

Week 2: January 22 | 2–3 PM ET - Topic: Prompt Engineering & AI Agents

Week 3: January 29 | 2–3 PM ET - Topic: Guardrails: Safe Use of AI

Week 4: February 2 | 2–3 PM ET - Topic: AI in Everyday Work 

Welcome New Member: Pursuit

Pursuit is excited to expand into Delaware, empowering small businesses with affordable loans and resources to help them grow and reach higher. When you and your small business clients work with Pursuit, you’ll find flexible financing and personalized guidance to set small businesses on a successful path. Small business owners can apply for up to $500,000 in affordable financing for working capital, inventory, equipment, and more. Visit pursuitlending.com or call 1-866-466-9232 to learn more!

ABA Webinar: Join the Fight to Close the Stablecoin Loophole - January 12th, 2 to 2:30 p.m. ET

The Senate Banking Committee is set to vote next Thursday, January 15th, on a market structure bill to establish a regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies. Your advocacy to press Congress to close the interest and rewards loophole in the GENIUS Act stablecoin legislation is important now more than ever. In this webinar, you will hear the very latest on ABA’s ongoing efforts to block the crypto industry’s bid to exploit a loophole in stablecoin legislation that threatens to drain bank deposits and damage local lending. Find out how you can join bankers from across the country by adding your bank’s important voice to this urgent policy debate in Washington. Note: This webinar is only available to ABA members and non-member bankers. 

Banking Matters Podcast: Community Banks - Embracing Digital Assets

In this episode of Banking Matters, host Linsey Hugueley interviews Carl Goss, an attorney with extensive experience in banking regulation and enforcement. They discuss Carl's journey into the banking industry, the growing intersection of community banks and cryptocurrency, practical steps for banks to engage with digital assets, and the risks and fraud considerations associated with crypto transactions. Carl emphasizes the importance of being open to innovation and understanding the regulatory landscape as banks navigate the evolving financial environment. 

Potter Anderson Attorneys Alyssa Gerace Frank,

Brett M. Haywood, and Lilianna Anh P. Townsend Elevated to Partner

Alyssa Gerace Frank

Brett M. Haywood

Lilianna Anh P. Townsend

Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP is pleased to announce the elevation to partner of firm attorneys Alyssa Gerace Frank, Brett M. Haywood, and Lilianna Anh P. Townsend. The promotions are effective Jan. 1, 2026.



“We are thrilled to welcome Alyssa, Brett and Lilianna to our firm partnership,” said Potter Anderson Chair Peter J. Walsh, Jr. “Their achievements as well as their talent, leadership, and unwavering commitment to client service have been instrumental to the success of our clients and our firm. We are confident they will continue to make a significant impact as they help shape the future of Potter Anderson in their new roles.”

Beyond the 50 Percent Rule: OFAC's Recent Private Equity Enforcement Action Shows Why Ignoring Indirect Sanctions Risk Can Be Costly

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently announced an $11.5 million settlement of an enforcement action against a U.S.-based private equity and infrastructure investment firm (the firm) for violations of U.S. sanctions in connection with an investment indirectly backed by a sanctioned individual. The action provides important guidance on OFAC's expectations regarding ownership, control, and indirect involvement by sanctioned persons, as well as the limits of relying on outside counsel when material facts are not fully disclosed. This is the latest in a series of similar enforcement actions by OFAC involving the same sanctioned individual and the complex trust structure he established to conceal his interest in U.S. investment funds, including a similar case in June involving a venture capital firm.

Cinnaire Awarded $85 Million in New Markets Tax Credits in Record-Breaking 2024–2025 Round

Cinnaire announced that the organization has been awarded an $85 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation in the historic combined calendar year 2024–2025 round administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI). 

This year’s round represents a record-breaking $10 billion in NMTC allocation authority, the largest allocation in the program’s history. The unprecedented investment is expected to stimulate economic growth, leverage billions in private capital, and expand access to financing in communities that have historically lacked it—particularly in rural and other economically distressed areas. 

Blockchain, Stablecoins, & Web3: What it Means for Financial Services and People's Lives - Feb 5th

​Blockchain, stablecoins & Web3 are moving from buzzwords to real infrastructure and reshaping how money moves, how value is created, and how people participate in the financial system. Join fintech founders, banks, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders, for an accessible, real-world conversation about what these technologies actually mean for financial services, economic opportunity, and people's lives.

​Hosted in-person in the Fintech Hub by CAFE, HUMN, & Stand With Crypto. We will have networking, intros, and a special keynote presentation.

Thursday, February 5, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, FinTech Innovation Hub, Newark, Delaware.

Registration Now Open — March 23–26: 
National Community Investment Conference

Registration is now open for the March 23–26 National Community Investment Conference in Phoenix, AZ. The 2026 program, Innovations in Public-Private Partnership, will highlight strategies for advancing economic opportunity through access to credit, investment, and financial services, with a focus on effective partnership models. Attendees will hear about successful approaches for attracting and deploying capital in a variety of sessions tailored to financial institutions, community organizations, and public entities who are striving to meet the needs of the communities they serve.