DBA Digest for March 29, 2024

DBA Hosts 2024 Legislative Reception

(l. to r.) David Mench, DBA Director, Government Affairs; Sarah Long, DBA President; Jordan Seemans, Delaware Deputy State Treasurer; and, Matthew Parks, VP, Investments, CRA & Retail Banking, Discover Bank, and DBA Board Chair-Elect.

Dozens of bankers and members of the Delaware Legislature met Wednesday morning in Dover for the 2024 DBA Legislative Reception. The annual event affords bankers the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the senators and representatives who pass the laws that directly impact the financial services industry.

"The Legislative Reception is an excellent demonstration of the importance of the banking industry to Delaware," said DBA President, Sarah Long, "it's a great opportunity to meet one-on-one with our elected representatives."

The reception was sponsored by Discover Bank.

Women Connect - April 25! Registration Now Open!

Registration is now open for the next Women Connect Network event, April 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wilmington University Brandywine Campus! Featured sessions include Philanthropy – Ages and Stages; Women in Business; and, special remarks from Dr. LaVerne Harmon, President of Wilmington University. In addition there will be a showcase of locally women-owned businesses and a networking breakfast!

The Women Connect Network serves as a catalyst to engage, empower and connect women in the Financial Services Industry. Women Connect brings together women from various specialties to support ongoing professional development, collaborate with other dynamic professionals, and engage in communities across Delaware.

Sponsorships available!

DBA 129th Annual Meeting & Dinner,

May 9th - Register Today!

Registration is now open for the 129 Annual DBA Meeting & Dinner, May 9th at the DuPont Country Club. The keynote speaker for the evening will be Rene Perez, the National Director of Financial Crimes Sales & Financial Crimes Consultant with Jack Henry^sm. Rene has 23+ years of experience in the financial crimes industry and subject matter expert on financial crimes. He and has spoken at many major conferences including ACAMS®, Jack Henry Connect, and SAS’s Global Financial Crimes Conference. Rene has also written many different publications on Financial Crimes matters affecting the U.S financial sector.

The deadline for sponsorships is fast approaching! Join these prestigious sponsors: Bayard; Belfint Lyons Shuman; The Delaware Community Foundation; The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh; Mayer Brown; McCollom D'Emilio Smith Uebler; Pinion; Potter Anderson Corroon; Richards Layton Finger; RKL CPA; S&P Global; Santora CPA Group; VISA; Weiner Benefits Group; and, Young Conaway.

Bank table sponsorships are also available. Join Capital One, Discover Bank, First Citizens Community Bank, PNC Bank, and, Wilmington Trust.

Dynamic Presentation Skills - April 30th

Are you aware that people can fear public speaking even more than dying? For those who want to conquer this common fear and those who already speak in front of groups but would like to do so with greater ease and effectiveness, this course can help! 

​Designed to put participants at ease while challenging them to apply concepts they’re learning (yes, by actually speaking), this course gives them essential tools for affecting others with their sales presentations, public speeches, presentations at meetings, and other speaking opportunities. Join Linda Comerford, Comerford Consulting for this valuable on-line course via Zoom Tuesday, April 30, 2024 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. $199/per person ($249/non-members)

Get a FREE preview session - March 26 from 4:00 – 5:00 PM EST. Sign up below!

Breaking Bad Habits - May 14th

Bad habits—everyone has them. But unlike biting fingernails or a leaving cap off the toothpaste, bad writing and communication habits can be especially problematic in the business world. Why? Because those writing, speaking, and interpersonal communication habits are seen and heard by so many others, often daily. The result is that aware of it or not, everyone develops a communication reputation. Join Linda Comerford, Comerford Consulting for this valuable on-line course via Zoom, May 14, 2024: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Just $99 per person for DBA members/$149 per person for non-members.

Taylor Bank Announces Good Fund Grants!

Taylor Bank, Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender, today announced it is accepting applications for the first round of grants from its For Good Fund.

In 2023, the bank introduced the For Good Checking Account. For customers who chose to enroll, a portion of every debit card transaction has been directed to the For Good Fund. From those contributions, approximately $15,000 will be awarded in this cycle to nonprofit organizations that strengthen and enhance local communities. Individual grants will range from $1,000 to $5,000.



“We are excited to kick off the first grant cycle of the For Good Fund,” said Lori Simon, Vice President, CRA Officer and Staff Development Training/Coordinator at Taylor Bank. “We look forward to helping nonprofits in our communities increase their positive impact and further their mission.”

Bank of America Private Bank Market Minute

Taking center stage last week was the Federal Open Market Committee’s (FOMC) second meeting of the year, where the policy interest rate was left unchanged at a target range of 5.25 to 5.50 percent, as expected. Chairman Powell’s comments post-meeting expressed that recent hotter-than-expected inflation prints have not “really changed the overall story,” one of inflation gradually moving down toward 2 percent. Dovish commentary boosted major U.S. equity markets to record highs on Thursday, marking the first back-to-back record closing day for the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq Composite Indexes since November 8, 2021. The indexes ultimately gained 2.29%, 1.97%, and 2.85% last week, respectively. On a sector level, some broadening seems to be building with the Energy, Financials, and Industrials sectors each outperforming the overall S&P 500 year-to-date (YTD). Gold reached another record high of $2,186 per troy ounce mid last week. In conjunction with the FOMC meeting, the Federal Reserve (Fed) released a quarterly update to its Summary of Economic Projections. Median projections continue to indicate three interest rate cuts taking place in 2024, while core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) inflation was revised from 2.4% to 2.6% to end this year.

Jenifer Jurden is a Cartoonist from Wilmington who has graciously provided her Planet Jurdy cartoons for the DBA Digest. Jurdy® is her other-worldly "Hero of Happyness" whose cartoons bring levity to humans worldwide.

MDSU Partner Elected ACTEC Fellow

Jennifer E. Smith, founding partner of McCollom D’Emilio Smith Uebler LLC, has been elected a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Jenny practices in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and wealth preservation. She counsels families across the country about the advantages of Delaware trusts as part of a sophisticated plan for high net worth clients. In addition, she guides trustees and other fiduciaries through the process of trust migration, termination, and various methods of modification including mergers, decantings, and nonjudicial settlement agreements. 

Morris James Earns National Recognition

as Top Workplace

Morris James is proud to announce its recognition as one of the twelve law firms to be named by USA Today and Energage as a nationally distinguished "Top Workplaces USA" for 2024. This prestigious award celebrates organizations that prioritize their employees and cultivate exceptional workplace cultures, setting the standard for excellence in the year ahead. Notably, Morris James stands as the sole representative from Delaware, reaffirming its commitment to excellence on a national scale.

"This national recognition reaffirms our commitment to fostering a workplace culture where collaboration, respect, and innovation thrive," says Keith Donovan, Managing Partner of Morris James. "As Morris James celebrates this achievement, the firm remains dedicated to upholding its values and principles, ensuring that its workplace continues to be a source of pride and excellence for years to come."

Wilmington University Scholarship Golf Classic

Wilmington University’s annual Scholarship Golf Classic is an enjoyable golf tournament that helps raise funds for student scholarships. Join us at Deerfield  as a sponsor, golf team, dinner guest, or all three. Attendees will enjoy a day on the course, with refreshments, golf gifts and raffles. Mobile bidding will be available. Sponsorship amounts range from $150 to $15,000, and many include foursome and dinner tickets. Foursomes (alone) include all the above for $1,000 per team. Not a golfer? No problem. Golfers and non-golfers are invited to a dinner celebration. Enjoy a dinner buffet, wine, silent auction, live music, and more, all for $100 per guest (unless this is already included with sponsorship or foursome).

2024 Perspectives in Financial Services - April 2 & 3

Wipfli is hosting Perspectives in Financial Services, 4/2/2024 - 4/3/2024 at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, an in-person event designed exclusively for executive officers and board members of financial services organizations. Join us for two days of information and insights into the topics profoundly impacting the financial services industry today.

We’re expanding our event this year, covering critical concerns — from cybersecurity and data analytics to talent management — and offering industry-specific breakout sessions to give you targeted, actionable guidance. You can also join our unique networking opportunity and connect with our speakers or learn from industry peers.

The speakers, topics and networking make this an event you don’t want to miss. Space is limited, so register below to secure your spot today.