6 ©2026 Nebraska Independent Community Bankers (NICB) | MBR Connect™, formerly The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. The Nebraska Independent Banker is published six times per year and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NICB, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. The Nebraska Independent Banker is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of NICB. While a first-print policy is encouraged, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. Nebraska Independent Community Bankers 1201 Lincoln Mall, Ste. 103 Lincoln, NE 68508 (402) 474-4662 nicbonline.com The Nebraska Independent Banker is a publication of The Nebraska Independent Community Bankers Association. 2026 • Issue 2 Take a Look INSIDE 12 16 NICB Executive Committee CHAIRMAN Jim Niemeier Citizens State Bank Friend PRESIDENT/CEO Dexter Schrodt SECRETARY Kelly Lenners First State Bank Nebraska Pickrell TREASURER Arnold Lowell CerescoBank Ceresco IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN Rick Heckenlively Points West Community Bank Sidney PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 4 What’s at Stake With Stablecoins for Community Banking By Dexter Schrodt, President and CEO, NICB FLOURISH 6 Community Banking Strategy for Growth By Rebeca Romero Rainey, President and CEO, ICBA PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT 8 Staying Power Fed’s Balance Sheet Has Some Duration, for Better or Worse By Jim Reber, CPA, CFA, President and CEO, ICBA Securities 10 The Future of AI in Banking Preparing for CECL Automation By Kate Randazzo, Content Marketing Manager, Abrigo 12 Community Banks and Crypto-Assets Is It Time To Start Exploring? By Ian F. McDowell, CPA, Principal, Audit and Assurance, S.R. Snodgrass PC 16 2026 Industry Outlook Community Bankers’ Top Challenges, Investments and Opportunities By Jason Young, Vice President of Product Management, CSI 18 Accountability: The Key to Compliance Success By William J. Showalter, CRCM, CRP, Senior Consultant, Young & Associates Inc. 20 Have You Covered Fair Lending Considerations in the Debt Collection Process? By Tara Booth, Virtual Compliance Officer, Compliance Alliance 22 NICB Endorsed Partners 22 Associate Members 2026 NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT BANKER 3
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