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 (801) 676-9722. 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 3 Take a Look INSIDE 10 18 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 FLOURISH 4 Battling Check Fraud Together By Rebeca Romero Rainey, President and CEO, ICBA PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT 6 In With the New Introducing The Baker Group, ICBA Securities’ New Endorsed Broker-Dealer By Jim Reber, CPA, CFA, Managing Director, and Ryan W. Hayhurst, President, The Baker Group INNOVATION STATION 8 Leveling up Fraud Mitigation By Wayne Miller, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, ICBA 10 Building the Foundation for Effective AI Closing the Data Readiness Gap By Ajay John, VP of Data Science and AI, CSI 12 Community Bank Bond Portfolios Are Finally Turning the Corner By Ryan W. Hayhurst, Managing Partner and President, The Baker Group 14 Risk Assessment Is the BSA Key By William J. Showalter, CRCM, CRP, Senior Consultant, Young & Associates Inc. 16 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) Requirements and Recommended Practices By Frank P. Antiga, CPA, CBAP, Risk Advisory Principal, S.R. Snodgrass PC 18 Why Community Bank Managers Need Better Conversations By Connie West, Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, High Performance Coach, Regional Vice President, The James Paul Group 19 NICB Endorsed Partners 19 Associate Members 2026 NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT BANKER 3
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