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This Week in Banking🔔

Federal Reserve Seeks Comments on Lending to Bank Insiders

The Federal Reserve has requested comment on a proposal to comprehensively update the regulation governing extensions of credit to bank insiders, such as directors, executives and major shareholders.

The proposal updates dollar-based thresholds and indexes them to economic growth going forward. It addresses unnecessary applications of the rule to passive interests in companies held by investment funds, codifies other statutory requirements, incorporates long-standing regulatory interpretations, and simplifies the application of the rule.

The FDIC has taken a similar action to ensure that its lending thresholds to insiders remain aligned with those proposed by the Federal Reserve. 

Source: federalreserve.gov

Source: fdic.gov

Community Bank Leverage Ratio 

The federal banking agencies have issued a revised compliance guide for the Community Bank Leverage Ratio framework, reflecting changes that took effect in July. Depository institutions and depository institution holding companies that meet qualifying criteria, including having less than $10 billion in total consolidated assets and a tier 1 leverage ratio of greater than 8 percent, are considered qualifying community banking organizations and are eligible to opt into the community bank leverage ratio framework. 

Source: fdic.gov

Modernizing Rules for Mutual Banks

The Federal Reserve has proposed a new rule to modernize the mutual bank regulatory framework, including changes to clarify that mutual capital instruments may qualify as regulatory capital and to remove restrictions on converting to a stock company. 

Source: federalreserve.gov

Upcoming Events🗓️

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.

August

  • August 18–19 | 2026 Fraud Academy
    Audience:
    In Person | Fraud, operations, compliance, risk management, security and retail banking professionals
  • August 20–October 15 | Cyber Defense Academy: From Attack to Response
    Audience:
    Hybrid | Information security, IT, cybersecurity, risk management and technology professionals

September

October

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

Tell Me Something Good💬

KS Bank Announces Opening of Lillington Branch on August 10

KS Bank, a North Carolina community bank, has announced the grand opening of its Lillington branch. The second branch in Harnett County will offer deposit and loan products for individuals and businesses, as well as mortgage and wealth management services.

Customers will have access to in-branch and drive-thru teller services, as well as an ATM and digital banking platforms, starting August 10. A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration will be held Thursday, August 13.

KS Bank’s Lillington branch will be under the leadership of Commercial Relationship Manager, SVP, Mark Eason, a Lillington native. With a focus on building local banking relationships, Eason and his team know the community’s needs.

“Having grown up in Harnett County, I understand what matters to those of us that call Lillington home,” said Eason. “Our team looks forward to building deeper relationships with our neighbors and ensuring that they feel taken care of when it comes to their money.”

Source: ksbankinc.com

Federal Legislative & 
Regulatory Update⚖️

Narrowing the Community Reinvestment Act’s Scope

The FDIC and OCC have proposed a series of amendments to Community Reinvestment Act regulations to refocus on the law’s objective of getting banks to meet the credit needs of their communities, including: 

  • Narrowing the list of qualifying activities for CRA credit to exclude deposit services;
  • Limiting consideration of community development grants to those directly used for a plan, project or initiative with community development as a primary purpose;
  • Requiring banks with assets over $10 billion to document that recipients of community development grants do not have overhead costs in excess of 15%;
  • Increasing bank asset size thresholds for small banks from less than $412 million to less than $1 billion, and for intermediate banks from $1.65 billion to $10 billion; and
  • Codifying an illustrative list of community development activities that do and do not qualify for CRA credit and providing a process to confirm that activities qualify as community development.

Source: occ.gov

Releasing Confidential Supervisory Information 

The OCC has proposed changes to its procedures for making bank information available for public review. The proposal would clarify the process for obtaining OCC approval and allow for the disclosure of confidential supervisory information without OCC approval in certain circumstances, provided that applicable safeguards are observed.

Source: occ.gov

FDIC Office of Supervisory Appeals

The FDIC has launched a new Office of Supervisory Appeals (OSA) panel comprised of independent officials who will consider and resolve appeals of material supervisory determinations brought before the agency. The OSA is a standalone office within the FDIC and replaces the Supervision Appeals Review Committee as the final level of review of material supervisory determinations.

Source: fdic.gov

Fraud Watch🛡️

The Evolution of Financial Scams

Fraud is often discussed as if each new method is a different problem requiring a different response. In reality, many modern scams are old confidence tricks delivered through faster, broader and more anonymous channels. The actors change, the technology changes and the payment rails change, but the underlying manipulation remains remarkably consistent.

For banks and fraud professionals, this history is more than a useful narrative. It is a control lesson. Each major shift in technology or culture creates new opportunities for criminals to scale deception. Each shift also gives financial institutions an opportunity to reassess client education, operational friction, payment controls, employee empowerment and cross-sector information sharing before losses become the proof that the risk was real.

Source: bankingjournal.aba.com

Banking Community🤝

FHLBank Atlanta to Host CEO Town Hall in Charlotte

NCBA Affiliate Partner Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta invites members to an in-person CEO Town Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel in Charlotte.

The event offers financial institutions an opportunity to connect directly with FHLBank Atlanta President and CEO Reggie O’Shields and the Bank’s leadership team. Attendees will hear about the Bank’s vision for the future, gain leadership perspectives on the economic and regulatory landscape, and engage in meaningful conversation with fellow members.

Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel

303 S. Church Street

Charlotte, NC 28202

Listen In🎧

The ability to pay college athletes has led to dramatic upheaval in banking college sports. Revenue-sharing with athletes has required big increases in spending that colleges may not have been counting on, just to be competitive. Meanwhile, the revenue shares and name, image and likeness marketing is putting big money in the hands of athletes who need extra support to handle it.


On the latest episode of the ABA Banking Journal Podcast, Charles Frazier, head of the entertainment and sports banking unit at City National Bank, talks about how his team supports both colleges and athletes amid these changes. He also discusses athletes’ need for holistic financial and business advice, the need for financial literacy and the growing need of college athletics programs for balance sheet solutions to help them stay competitive.

Source: bankingjournal.aba.com

NCBA Announcements📌

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:

Industry Update📰

North State Bank Promotes John Purcell to Relationship Banking Manager

North State Bank has promoted John Purcell to assistant vice president and relationship banking manager for its West Raleigh office. In this role, Purcell will oversee office operations and develop loan and deposit relationships. A Cary native and graduate of North Carolina State University, Purcell joined North State Bank in 2019 and most recently served West Raleigh customers as a relationship banking specialist.

John Purcell, North State Bank

Source: bizjournals.com

Words of Wisdom💭

"Most things I worry about 
never happen anyway.”



- Tom Petty