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Building Banking’s Next Generation of Industry Advocates | | At next month’s NC Emerging Leaders Conference on September 10–11, bankers from across the state will have the opportunity to gain firsthand experience with the legislative and regulatory issues affecting banks, their customers and the communities they serve. | | Through legislative visits at the capitol, attendees will see the advocacy process up close, meeting directly with policymakers and putting real-world context behind the issues shaping the industry. Bankers in attendance will learn how to discuss the challenges facing their institutions and communities, communicate industry priorities and better understand how those conversations can influence public policy. | | | Building that kind of firsthand understanding across the industry strengthens banking’s collective voice in North Carolina. Registration is open for bankers ready to take a more active role in the issues shaping North Carolina’s banking industry. | Book your room by Friday, August 21, to take advantage of the conference rate. | | | | |
Licensing Payment Stablecoin Issuers | The Treasury Department has released a proposed rulemaking to implement section 3 of the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act regarding the statutory prohibitions and limitations on payment stablecoin issuance, offer, and sale in the United States. Comments must be received on or before October 19. | | CFPB Ceases Publication of Consumer Complaint Narratives | The CFPB has ceased publication of unverified complaint narratives and visualizations. As noted by the bureau, “Publishing such narratives in the [Consumer Complaint Database] provides a less-than-representative sample of one-sided experiences that cannot provide consumers with a balanced and accurate view of companies’ compliance with their legal obligations.” | | | | |
Build Skills Across Your Bank With Upcoming Professional Development | From fraud prevention and cyber defense to customer service, compliance, lending, AI and executive leadership, the NCBA’s upcoming professional development calendar offers practical learning opportunities for bankers at every level. Explore the programs below and find the right opportunities for you and your team. |
October
- October 1 | The Exceptional Banker Workshops – Fix It Fast, Fix It Right
Audience: Virtual | Retail bankers, branch staff, customer service representatives, supervisors and managers
- October 19–20 | 2026 Fall Compliance Update With Patti Joyner
Audience: In Person | Compliance, BSA/AML, audit, risk management, operations and bank leadership professionals
- October 22 | Appraisal & Evaluation Compliance Seminar
Audience: In Person | Appraisers, appraisal review staff, compliance officers, credit administrators, lending managers and loan officers
- Beginning October 22 | Understanding Bank Performance
Audience: Virtual | Bank executives, CFOs, finance professionals, directors, branch managers and emerging leaders
- October 26–29 | Bank Trainers Conference & Expo 2026
Audience: In Person | Bank trainers, learning and development professionals, HR professionals and organizational development staff
- October 26–30 | 2026 Carolinas & Virginias RMA Commercial Lending School
Audience: In Person | Commercial lenders, credit analysts, relationship managers and commercial banking professionals
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November
- Beginning November 3 | Banking AI Accelerator – Winter Series
Audience: Virtual | Bank executives, innovation leaders, technology professionals, operations leaders and bankers exploring practical AI applications
- November 4–6 | 2026 Management Forum
Audience: In Person | Bank CEOs, presidents, executive management, senior leaders, directors and department heads
- November 10 | Creating, Implementing, and Maintaining a Compliant Employee Handbook
Audience: Virtual | HR professionals, compliance officers, executive management and supervisors responsible for personnel policies
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Tell Me Something Goodđź’¬ | | | | |
KS Bank Opens Lillington Branch | Last week, KS Bank celebrated the grand opening of the bank’s new branch in Lillington — the newest bank branch to open in North Carolina. | NCBA President and CEO Peter Gwaltney joined KS Bank President and CEO Earl W. Worley, Jr., members of the KS Bank team and community leaders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the occasion. | The new location represents another investment by KS Bank in the communities it serves, expanding the bank’s ability to build relationships with customers and support individuals, families and businesses in the Lillington area. | | | | | |
North Carolina Banker Among 2026 Cohort at GSB Colorado | Congratulations to Christine England of Encore Bank in Lexington, who recently graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) during its 75th Annual School Session at the University of Colorado Boulder. | England was among 134 banking professionals nationwide to complete the rigorous graduate banking program, which focuses on leadership, strategy, lending, financial management and the forces shaping the future of community banking. | | | | | |
Southern Bank Awards $10K to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity | Southern Bank recently presented Cape Fear Habitat with a $10,000 sponsorship for two Team Build days to support the organization’s affordable housing efforts. | "At Southern Bank, we’re proud to invest in the neighborhoods we serve. Partnering with Cape Fear Habitat on Team Build days gives our employees a hands-on way to help build homes and stronger communities right here where we live and work,” stated Colleen Hattingh, Wilmington branch manager. | Founded in 1987 as an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, Cape Fear Habitat has served more than 500 families in Pender, Duplin and New Hanover counties. | | | | | |
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State Legislative & 
Regulatory Update🏛️ | | | | |
North Carolina State Banking Commission Report | The State Banking Commission met on Wednesday, August 19, for a regularly scheduled meeting. The Commission received reports, including one on the application by Juno Bancorp, Inc, to become a bank holding company by acquiring New Republic Bank from American Bancorp Inc. | | | Also of note, it was announced that the Commission will hold a specially called meeting on November 18. The purpose of that special meeting is to adopt rules to implement the Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act (NC House Bill 920 / Session Law 2026-45), which creates new standards for operators of crypto ATMs. | | | | |
Federal Legislative & 
Regulatory Update⚖️ | | | | |
World Liberty Financial Receives Conditional Approval | The OCC has granted conditional approval of World Liberty Financial’s application to create World Liberty Trust Co., a national trust bank, that would be partially owned by the Trump family. The charter would allow the company to directly issue and manage its USD1 stablecoin, handle custody of its reserve assets, and process digital payments without using third-party intermediaries. | | Pictured: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Ranking 
Member of the Senate Banking Committee | | In response, nine Senate Democrats and one independent Senator filed the Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act. | “President Trump is now the first President in history to approve, operate, and supervise his own bank,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, said in a prepared statement. “This is the most brazen act of self-dealing our financial system has ever seen – and Congress cannot allow it to stand. The Ending Presidential Corruption in Banking Act will close the door on this kind of unprecedented corruption.” | | | | |
Congress Status:
Currently In Recess
| The House is in recess until August 31. | The Senate is in recess until September 14. | | | | | |
Final Rule on Beneficial Ownership Information | FinCEN has finalized a rule permanently removing the requirement for U.S. companies and persons to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act. The final rule became effective on its publication in the Federal Register. | | | FinCEN also announced that it will delete previously reported information by U.S. persons – now exempt from the reporting requirements – from the beneficial ownership information database. | Under the final rule, foreign entities that are reporting companies will still be required to report beneficial ownership information for foreign individuals. | | | | |
Mission Activities Report on the FHLBank System | FHFA has released the Federal Home Loan Banks 2025 Mission Activities Report. Among the activities noted, the report states that The Community Investment Program (CIP) and Community Investment Cash Advance (CICA) program served as sources of liquidity for FHLBank members financing housing and economic development activities. | | | In 2025, these programs, through their provision of subsidized advances, supported $8.4 billion lending in areas with constrained credit availability and enabled members to offer longer-term, more affordable financing options to households and communities. | | | | |
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OCC Bank Accounting Advisory Series | The OCC has released an update to the Bank Accounting Advisory Series, which contains OCC staff responses to FAQs from the banking industry and bank examiners on a variety of accounting topics. | | | | | |
Combatting Cybercrime and Fraud | President Trump has directed federal law enforcement to create a new program that partners with the private sector to target transnational criminal organizations responsible for ransomware attacks, phishing campaigns and other cybercrimes. | | | | | |
States Seek to Block OCC Rulemakings | A coalition of 10 states have filed a lawsuit to block two recent rulemakings by the OCC designed to establish a uniform federal framework for national banks operating across state lines. In May, the OCC finalized two rules asserting federal preemption over state interest-on-escrow laws. | | | The states of Oregon, New York, California, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Rhode Island and Vermont filed the lawsuit. | | | | |
Guidance Regarding Trump Accounts | The Treasury Department has proposed a new rulemaking to establish guidance for employer-sponsored programs for contributions to Trump Accounts, including arrangements that allow employees to make pre-tax contributions to the accounts of dependents under the age of 18. | | | | | |
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FHLBank Atlanta 2026 Director Election | Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta is conducting an election to fill three member directorships and one independent directorship on its board of directors. Each financial institution that was a member of the bank as of December 31, 2025, or that is the acquirer of, or successor in interest to, such an institution, is eligible to participate in the election. | | | Eligible institutions in Florida, Georgia, and Maryland will vote to fill the member directorship in their respective state, and eligible institutions across the bank’s footprint will vote to fill the independent directorship. | |
All elected directors will serve four-year terms that begin on January 1, 2027.
The FHLBank Atlanta board of directors’ nominee for the independent directorship will be listed on each member’s ballot.
| Every vote counts and it is important your voice is heard. Please be sure to vote for the independent director candidate, who must receive at least 20 percent of the votes eligible to be cast to be elected. | The deadline for the Bank to receive completed ballots is 5:00 p.m. EDT, Thursday, September 17, 2026. | If you have questions, please contact Courtney Tobin, Associate General Counsel for FHLBank Atlanta, at 404.888.5343 or ctobin@fhlbatl.com. | | | | |
In Case You Missed It...đź‘€ | | | | |
NCBA SVP & Counsel Nathan Batts Talks Advocacy with Carolina Banker
| | Advocacy has been at the heart of the North Carolina Bankers Association’s mission since its founding in 1897. In the second episode of the Carolina Banker Podcast, NCBA President and CEO Peter Gwaltney sits down with Senior Vice President and Counsel Nathan Batts to discuss how ideas from bankers become legislative priorities—and how the NCBA works with lawmakers, regulators and industry stakeholders to shape sound public policy. | After listening to the podcast, you can build on the conversation at the 2026 NCEL Conference on September 10-11, where you’ll learn even more about serving as an effective advocate for North Carolina’s banking industry. Join us for a field trip to the State Capitol and Legislative Building, offering a firsthand look at where public policy takes shape - and how our state's emerging leaders can help shape it. | | | | | |
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Need Credits? Earn CRCM, CPE, SHRM and More! | | Looking to skill up? North Carolina Bankers Association is making it easier than ever to invest in your professional growth. Sign up for one of the upcoming webinars from our partnered providers: | | | | |
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HomeTrust to acquire Blue Ridge Bankshares for $448.1 million | HomeTrust Bancshares, Inc. (NYSE: HTB), the holding company of HomeTrust Bank, and Blue Ridge Bankshares, Inc. (NYSEAM: BRBS), the holding company of Blue Ridge Bank, National Association, jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement, pursuant to which HomeTrust will acquire Blue Ridge in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $448.1 million. | | United Community Banks, Inc. Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend on Common Stock | United Community Banks, Inc. (NYSE: UCB) reported that its Board of Directors approved a 4% increase in the quarterly cash dividend on the company’s common stock, raising the dividend to $0.26 per share. The dividend is payable on October 5, 2026, to shareholders of record as of September 15, 2026. | | | | |
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  "Humility is acknowledging that you didn’t succeed on your own. Even an accomplished leader needs to recognize that, whether at work or at home, it takes a team to succeed.”

- Linda Alvarado |  
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