The Community Bank Podcast

This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2021 with Jesse Cole, Founder of the Savannah Bananas baseball team. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

This week we throw it back to one of our favorite conversations we had in 2023 with Mark Miller, Former VP of High Performance Leadership at Chick-fil-A. REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Josh Etress, Chief Operating Officer of Anchor Investments. He shares how he adds value to his great and growing LinkedIn following and how bankers just like you can too. Josh also discusses his experiences with leadership as both leader and follower, as well as his insights on commercial real estate. REGISTER FOR ELEVATE HERE. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Jeff Hancher who shares his thought leadership, particularly related to delivering feedback as leaders, founded in his own experiences and ideologies. Consider picking up his upcoming book, Firm Feedback in a Fragile World, which "is your guide to giving honest, impactful feedback without breaking trust or morale." REGISTER FOR ELEVATE HERE. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today Caleb Stevens sits down with Chris Bates from Agora Eversole for a wide-ranging conversation on bank marketing. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today Chris Nichols sits down with Craig Rodenberger, Chief Marketing Officer of Ephrata National Bank. Craig shares how they bank the Amish community and what it looks like to create remarkable experiences for your clients. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Eric Corrigan with MJC Partners to discuss M&A and capital raising. He tells us all about what community banks should be paying attention to when it comes to M&A deals, whether it's imminent or something farther out on the horizon for your bank. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees.

Today we sit down with Randy Goggans, Founder and CEO of BankerBounty. He tells us about his beginnings into banking and how his experience has resulted in BankerBounty and how he helps banks like yours foster a relationship culture through it. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees.

Today, Tom Fitzgerald and Joe Keating sit down to discuss the economic outlook as we near the end of the 2025 first quarter. They touch on current economic trends, projections, and the impacts of tariffs, rates, and various other topics. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC SouthState Wealth represents the collective departments and subsidiaries of SouthState Bank, N.A. that provide wealth management services. Products and services are not bank deposits, nor are they insured, and are not backed or guaranteed by SouthState Bank, N.A. or its affiliates. Securities involve investments risks, including possible loss of principal.

Today our own Chris Nichols sits down with Mike Fletcher, President and Co-Founder of Qualtik, to discuss the latest trends in commercial credit. TAKE THE ARC GUIDED TOUR HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Chris Nichols sits down with three of SouthState Bank's team members, Tiffany Metelsky, Kunal Das, and Karissa Herns. They discuss our recent Data Build-a-thon, where 58 internal participants were asked to analyze data and identify and present opportunities for increased sales, marketing strategies, or customer satisfaction. First-place winner Karissa shares her thoughts and event organizers Tiffany and Kunal tell Chris all about how a bank can tap into its internal talent through similiar competitions. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ARC PROGRAM The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today, SouthState's Chris Nichols sits down with Steve Ramirez, Founder of Beyond the Arc, where they offer B2B payment strategies for banks. They discuss the current trends and best practices for how banks can market payments. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Russ Hill, co-Founder of Lone Rock Consulting and Lead In 30. We talk about the importance of creating clarity as a leader, leading through change, the relationship between AI and leadership, and several other great topics. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Stephen Coleman, former Bank OZK executive and Founder of Relativity Holdings, where they build enterprise-level software and technology solutions for banks like yours. We discuss the changing tech landscape in banking and how community banks should approach forming strategic fintech partnerships. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Karl Nelson, Founder and CEO of KPN Consulting. He gives us a recap of the community banking landscape since the Covid pandemic and describes what 2025 could hold for community banks. DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Chris Nichols and Ed Kofman. They discuss our e-book, "The Top 12 Winning Strategies for Community Banks in 2025," going into detail on the principles to succeed this year. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Steve Williams, CEO and Founding Partner of Cornerstone Advisors. We discuss the community banking landscape for 2025 and the traits every successful bank executive must possess to succeed in today's banking environment. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC DOWNLOAD OUR FREE LOAN PRICING VIDEO SERIES HERE

Today we bring back Joe Keating, SVP & Senior Portfolio Manager here at SouthState, to provide his economic outlook for 2025. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC SouthState Wealth represents the collective departments and subsidiaries of SouthState Bank, N.A. that provide wealth management services. Products and services are not bank deposits, nor are they insured, and are not backed or guaranteed by SouthState Bank, N.A. or its affiliates. Securities involve investments risks, including possible loss of principal.

Today we bring back a longtime friend of the show, Jack Hubbard from St. Meyer & Hubbard. Jack has trained and coached over 80,000 bankers, helping them become "resource managers" (not simply "lenders") for their clients. We talk about what it will take for lenders to be successful in 2025, plus several other topics. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

In our final episode of 2024, Chris Nichols sits down with Steve Smith from Accenture to discuss the future of bank branching. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

This week we feature clips from 8 of our favorite shows we recorded in 2024. Thanks for listening! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Davis Stewart and Gene Kirby from Heitmeyer Consulting to discuss the best strategies for effectively managing vendor relationships at your bank. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we shine the spotlight on Katie Wahlquist and her bank, Star Bank, in Minnesota. We discuss Katie's family roots in banking and their plans to remain competitive and customer-centric in the coming years. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we bring on Daniel and Joseph Ahn from DelFi to discuss the value of AI in managing your bank's balance sheet. GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Brian Love and Keith Daly from the Travillian Group. We discuss the keys to succession planning and the importance of attracting and developing young talent at your GET OUR NEW EBOOK: TOP 12 WINNING STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY BANKS IN 2025 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we bring on Jackie Smith, Director of Public Relations at SouthState, as well as Vincent Ascolese, Social Media and Public Relations Manager. Together we discuss the 5 keys to managing PR and social media well at your bank. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we bring back on Jeremie Kubicek, CEO of GiANT Worldwide. Jeremie has spoken to thousands of leaders and written mutiple best-selling books on leadership, culture, and self-awareness. Today we discuss Jeremie's book and assessement, The 5 Voices, and how it can help leaders improve their self-awareness and ability to lead others. Take the 5 Voices Assessment: HERE Learn to get 5 Voices Certified: More Info and Sign Up here The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we feature our final backstage episode from the Elevate Banking Forum. Chris Nichols (Director of Capital Markets at SouthState) and Nathan Stovall (Director of Financial Institutions Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence) discuss the current state of the banking industry. Download the Presentation Slide Deck Here The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we play a backstage interview from our recent Elevate Banking Forum in Birmingham, AL. We talk with Kevin Scott, one of our keynote speakers at the event, about what it looks like to create emotional connections both with your clients and employees. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we have some fun and provide an example of how AI tools like NotebookLM can help community banks in a vareity of ways. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we feature the replay from our October 1st webinar, Finishing 2024 Strong: Keys to Loan Pricing and Production. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE WEBINAR SLIDES The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we are joined by Ron Buck, CEO of the Performance Insights Team. Ron talks about the implications of AI for community banks and specifically how AI can help their lenders close more deals. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we're joined by KBW CEO, Tom Michaud, to discuss the key banking storylines going into Q4. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Mark Kanaly, Partner at Alston & Bird to discuss the key trends every community banker should be paying attention to. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Tom Fitzgerald and Joe Keating discuss the Fed's recent Jackson Hole symposium, outlook for monetary policy, and overall implications for the broader economy. VIEW AGENDA AND REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC SouthState Wealth represents the collective departments and subsidiaries of SouthState Bank, N.A. that provide wealth management services. Products and services are not bank deposits, nor are they insured, and are not backed or guaranteed by SouthState Bank, N.A. or its affiliates. Securities involve investments risks, including possible loss of principal.

Today Chris Nichols sit down with Lee Wetherington, Senior Director of Corporate Strategy at Jack Henry. They discuss the state of the payments industry and the implications of real-time payments for community banks. VIEW AGENDA FOR THE ELEVATE BANKING FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Tom Fitzgerald and Lelia Coggins from our fixed-income strategies group discuss the recent developments in the bond market, the economic picture overall, and what it means for community banks like yours. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO TOM'S FRIDAY FIVE NEWSLETTER The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Chris Nichols, Director of Capital Markets at SouthState, sits down with investor, writer, and artist, John Maxfield. They discuss key lessons from bank failures over the years and what the best banks need to be doing to stay relevant in the future. Check Out John's Writing Here: https://www.maxfieldonbanks.com/ Register for the Elevate Banking Forum: https://southstatecorrespondent.com/the-elevate-banking-forum/ The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Sim Cheema, one of our ARC Program specialists with SouthState. Sim talks about the current state of interest rates, credit, CRE lending, and how to help your borrowers navigate the current environment. VIEW AGENDA AND REGISTER FOR THE ELEVATE FORUM HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Chris DiLorenzo from The James Paul Group to discuss the importance of relationship banking and how to create remarkable customer experiences. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Anton Schutz, President of Mendon Capital. Anton specializes in the banking industry and we discuss the current challenges and opportunities facing regional and community banks today. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we bring back Lon Langston, Founder of the Engaged Banker Experience, back to the podcast to discuss how the best community bank leaders resolve conflict amonst their teams. Listen to Previous Conversations with Lon Here Leading Through Change with Lon Langston (2023) How to Scale Your Banks Culture with Lon Langston (2022) Creating an Engaged Culture with Lon Langston (2021) The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we throw it back to our 2023 interview with Jack Hubbard on how to help your lenders succeed in today's world of banking. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Tom Fitzgerald sits down with Billy Fielding to discuss the ALM trends we are seeing with our community bank clients and strategies to navigate the current economic environment. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Tom Fitzgerald welcomes Joe Keating back to the podcast. Joe serves as Senior Portfolio Manager at SouthState Wealth and is a regular contributor to the podcast. They discuss Joe's economic forecast and when the Fed might start cutting rates. Subscribe to Tom's Friday Five Newsletter Here The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Wealth represents the collective departments and subsidiaries of SouthState Bank, N.A. that provide wealth management services. Products and services are not bank deposits, nor are they insured, and are not backed or guaranteed by SouthState Bank, N.A. or its affiliates. Securities involve investments risks, including possible loss of principal.

Today we sit down with former bank CEO, Kurt Knutson. We discuss his book The Art of Selling Your Bank, where most M&A deals go wrong, how to merge 2 different cultures, and how to increase your bank's value — whether you plan to sell or remain independent. GET THE FIRST SECTION OF KURT'S BOOK FOR FREE HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we sit down with Catherine Mealor, Managing Director of Equity Research at KBW. We discuss the current M&A environment and its implications for communtiy banks. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we bring back a popular guest and friend of the show, Mark Miller. Mark spent over 40 years with Chick-fil-A, most recently serving as Vice President of High Performance Leadership. Mark recently retired and has co-founded a new organization dedicated to serving leaders called Lead Every Day. In today's episode, we talk with Mark about his latest book Uncommon Greatness: Five Fundamentals to Transform Your Leadership. Listen to our 2023 interview with Mark here. Listen to our 2021 interview with Mark here. Visit Mark's website here: www.leadeveryday.com Email Mark: [email protected] Call/Text Mark: 678-612-8441 The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today Chris Nichols, our Director of Capital Markets, sits down with Nymbus CEO Jeffery Kendall. Chris and Jeffery talk about the future of core processing, payments, how banks should be thinking about their relationship with their core provider, and the new opportunities emerging for banks to offer more innovative products and solutions to their customers. GET YOUR FREE STEP-UP EBOOK HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC

Today we'll be speaking with Scott Mills, president of the William Mills agency based in Atlanta. They specialize in helping fintechs connect with banks, and they work with a number of major bank technology providers. Scott talks about the future of fintech, where fintech partnerships often go wrong for community banks, and how to properly evaluate a fintech relationship. GET YOUR FREE ARC STEP-UP PLAYBOOK HERE ACCESS THE BANKERS AS BUYERS SURVEY HERE The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees SouthState Bank, N.A. - Member FDIC