2025 IBA Bank Management and Policy Conference

9:45 am Refreshment Break

10:00 am Economic Update and Forecast 

11:00 am Break

11:30 am Data: The foundation of Successful AI Implementation
Fabio Biasella, EngageFI
Emerging trends in artificial intelligence offer tremendous potential for financial institutions. However, realizing the potential is not possible without one critical foundation: data. Without a robust data strategy, implementing AI effectively becomes a significant challenge. AI strategies at their core are data strategies. Ensure your data is ready to support AI-driven products and solutions before making the investment. Some of the key takeaways include: high quality, accurate, and organized data is essential for training AI models and integrating AI into your products and services; understanding that AI strategy is a data strategy will help guide successful AI adoption; and preparation of data is crucial so it supports both existing and future AI initiatives.

12:15 pm Lunch

1:30 pm Legislative Update
Jon Blum, American Bankers Association
Hear about key policy issues and ABA’s advocacy priorities and its response to the tsunami of regulatory changes facing banks. As the vice president of Congressional relations, Jon Blum is an experienced policy advisor. He was previously the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs (Banking and Finance) for the U.S. Department of the Treasury. At Treasury, he provided legislative and political strategy for senior Treasury leadership on financial sector issues, including banking regulation, anti-money laundering reform, fintech, cybersecurity, and insurance.

2:30 pm Break

2:45 p.m. Integrating Technology Into Your Enterprise Strategy
Trent Fleming, Fleming Consulting, Germantown, TN
Historically, banks have had two strategic plans: an enterprise, or business plan, and a separate technology plan.  This is no long a tenable position, as technology now becomes the driving force behind most strategic initiatives.  This session discusses methods of integrating technology planning into your enterprise planning efforts, providing insight to senior managers and executives as to the increasingly visible and important role technology plays in the banking environment.  Recently, FFIEC guidelines for IT planning add new requirements that executive management should be involved. Topics include selected new technologies, negotiating and managing vendor relationships, merger and acquisition planning, managing operations and technology staff, and engaging with customers to maintain strong relationships via electronic channels.

3:45 pm Break

4:00 p.m. Legislative Update
What are the issues in the Iowa legislature this year. IBA staff will provide a briefing, answer questions, and prepare you with the information you need for the evening’s reception with legislators.

5:00 p.m. Legislative Reception at the Iowa Taproom
Iowa Taproom
Engage with Iowa legislators at this casual event following the conference. This event aims to foster meaningful conversations between bankers and policy makers who shape the regulatory landscape.

6:30 p.m. Reception ends

Wednesday, February 12

7:30 a.m. Networking Breakfast 

8:30 am State of the Industry – Iowa Panel
Iowa’s economy is resilient, but challenges remain over labor shortages, interest rates, elevated prices and moderating economic growth. This panel brings together leaders in Iowa’s ag, manufacturing, and retail section to discuss how Iowa’s economy is faring and looking ahead to the remainder 2025. Leaders share how companies are coping with challenges, the effects on capital investment decisions and strategies to find and retain skilled workers.

9:45 am Break

10:00 am Superintendent of Banking Update
James Johnson, Iowa Division of Banking

10:30 am Break

10:40 am Why Some Bankers Drive More Profitable Relationships
Jack Kasel, Anthony Cole Training Group
In most banks, 15% of all consumer relationships drive 75% of deposits and 50% of revenue. Additionally, business relationships with treasury management and the primary operating account will have three times the return on capital as a standalone loan. You know the bankers in your group who are skilled at identifying primary relationships and properly leveraging them. What are those lenders and RMs doing differently than others?

11:50 am Conference adjourns