This spring, VACB hit the road to hear directly from our members. Hosting six regional Banker Roundtables across the Commonwealth, VACB staff and volunteer leaders engaged with more than 50 community bankers across different functions at member banks in open dialogue about the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their day-to-day work.

While the opportunity to network and share ideas was welcomed, the purpose behind hosting these Roundtables was clear: VACB hoped to solicit ideas to continue strengthening the organization’s value proposition. Indeed, the feedback gathered will directly inform the VACB Board’s alignment planning process this August, helping to ensure that the Association’s focus reflects the stated needs of its members.

Familiar Challenges, New Urgency

Many of the issues raised in these Roundtables were not new, but the sense of urgency surrounding them has grown. Workforce challenges remain top of mind for nearly every institution, particularly in rural areas. Banks cited difficulty attracting and retaining staff, with specific challenges at the entry and middle management levels. Attendees emphasized the need to invest in employee engagement, mentoring, and training to not only build internal capacity but to retain promising talent in the face of rising competition from other employers.

Fraud also emerged as a universal concern. From check fraud to romance scams to increasingly complex cyber threats, bankers agreed fighting fraud has become a full-time, resource-intensive reality. Several banks now include fraud losses as formal line items in their budgets. Participants expressed strong interest in VACB facilitating a statewide fraud information sharing network, similar to one operating in West Virginia, to exchange timely information and mitigation strategies.

Competition on All Fronts

Competition from tax-exempt credit unions and under-regulated fintechs also remained a consistent theme. Bankers voiced concerns about credit unions entering commercial lending markets with little oversight or underwriting discipline, while fintech firms continue to carve out deposit and payment relationships, often without following the rules traditional banks must meet.

The implementation of technology remains both a necessity and a point of caution. While bankers acknowledged the need to innovate to serve younger generations, many expressed reluctance to adopt unvetted technology solutions. Several members recognized the vital role that both VACB and ICBA can play in serving as a trusted resource to help member banks navigate the deployment of these important resources.

Ideas for Growth: Forums, Education and Engagement

One of the more encouraging takeaways was the enthusiasm for expanding VACB’s successful forum model. VACB’s extraordinarily successful Compliance Forum continues to receive high praise. Members proposed extending that structure to areas such as operations, HR, fraud, technology and ag/commercial lending. It was suggested that these peer groups would not only provide opportunities for sharing best practices, but could serve as talent development pipelines and retention tools.

Additionally, members suggested expanding live training opportunities for frontline staff, especially teller “boot camps” and regional in-person Essentials of Banking sessions. Gamified e-learning and better use of member-to-member networking platforms were also recommended to reach younger and more tech-savvy employees.

What Happens Next

The feedback gathered during these Roundtables will be utilized by the VACB Board of Directors to shape the Association’s 2025-26 alignment plan. In the coming months, we hope to transform these suggestions into value offerings that we can prototype and refine with your continued engagement and feedback.

To everyone who took time away from the bank to participate, THANK YOU! Your active participation is guiding the next phase of our work. On behalf of VACB’s Board and staff, we are excited to continue enhancing the programs and services our organization offers together.