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IBSC has teamed up with the Independent Community Bankers of America to provide a comprehensive menu of training resources for South Carolina community bankers. On any ICBA course or resource found on IBSC's website, use the code SC-IBSC at checkout, and ICBA will return 10% of the purchase price to IBSC. These funds help support local lobbying efforts and new resources and programs for our IBSC members.
Five Benefits of Professional Certification Programs: Professional certification programs have been flooding the market for years and hit peak popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic. But certifications require an investment of time, money, and other resources from employers. Are they worth it? Here are five benefits of professional certifications that prove an investment in your team is an investment in your bank. 1) Boost Efficiency: It’s no secret. When you know what you’re doing, you’re better at doing it. Professional certifications offer advanced training opportunities that equip employees with relevant skills, technology, and resources that increase productivity and their ability to work more efficiently. 2) Increase Confidence: Employees with low self-confidence become low performers. Professional certifications allow employees to feel confident and secure in their knowledge and ability to perform. This confidence shows your clients they made the right choice in choosing you. Did you know? Official certifications go back more than 500 years. In 1518, Thomas Linacre petitioned Henry VIII for permission to establish a college of physicians in order to grant licenses to practice and the college eventually became the Royal College of Physicians in London 3) Maintain Credibility: Financial institutions rely heavily on client trust and a good reputation. Professional certifications boost the credibility of your organization and prove your employees are committed and well-trained experts. 4) Stay Relevant: The rate at which technology advances and legislation changes seems to increase with every passing day. Professional certifications help you maintain your edge in the industry. By keeping certifications current, your employees can stay up to date with trends, legislation, technology and more. 5) Reduce Risk: Risk management plays a vital role in keeping any business healthy and secure, especially financial institutions. Employees that regularly update their professional certifications are less likely to make mistakes and are better able to rectify missteps when they arise. Professional certification programs are an affordable and flexible option to ensure your employees have the skills needed to protect your company’s bottom line. And as the economic, social, and technological climate shifts, you can rely on certification programs to bridge the gap in expertise. Need help finding the right professional certification program? ICBA Education offers nine Certification Programs. The Certification Programs are nationally recognized, professional designations and require the user to follow specific processes and procedures before a Certification is granted. ICBA’s Certification Programs - ICBA certification programs are designed to raise the standards of professionalism in the industry and give consumers a consistent stamp of approval to look for when selecting a banker. To make this happen, respected members of the ICBA Certification Board establish baseline criteria in several areas of specialization. Then, experienced, nationally recognized instructors create training programs that target the needs of community banks based on those criteria. Finally, competency testing is measured after completion and a certification designation is granted. Annual continuing professional education is then required to ensure participants keep their certification current. ICBA Education is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: nasbaregistry.org. ICBA Education is approved to offer continuing professional education (CPE) credits for its live virtual (Group Internet-Based) and in-person (Group Live) training. Each Group Live or Group Internet-Based training event will note the exact number of CPE credits granted for successful completion of ICBA Education training. To be awarded full CPE credits, you must be present and attend the full training session. When requested, you will be asked to sign into the event to affirm initial attendance.
ICBA Education offers the following Certification Program Institutes: Audit Certification (CCBIA) Designation: Certified Community Bank Internal Auditor (CCBIA) Requirements: Audit Institute; (30) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Bank Security Certification (CCBSO) Designation: Certified Community Bank Security Officer (CCBSO) Requirement: Bank Security Institute; (15) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. BSA/AML Certification (CBAP) Designation: Certified BSA/AML Professional (CBAP) Requirement: BSA/AML Institute; (20) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Commercial Lending Certification (CCLO) Designation: Certified Commercial Loan Officer (CCLO) Requirement: Commercial Lending Institute; (15) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Compliance Certification (CCBCO) Designation: Certified Community Bank Compliance Officer (CCBCO) Requirement: Compliance Institute; (30) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Consumer Lending Certification (CCBCL) Designation: Certified Community Bank Consumer Lender (CCBCL) Requirement: Consumer Lending Institute; (15) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Credit Analyst Certification (CCBCA) Designation: Certified Community Bank Credit Analyst (CCBCA) Requirement: Credit Analyst Institute; (15) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Information Technology Certification (CCBTO) Designation: Certified Community Bank Technology Officer (CCBTO) Requirement: Community Bank IT Institute; (30) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Enterprise Risk Management Certification (CCBRS) Designation: Certified Community Bank Risk Specialist (CCBRS) Requirement: Risk Management Institute; (15) Continuing Professional Education credits required every two years. Bank Director Program - The Bank Director Program provides exclusive director-related training, tailored to meet the needs of your board. The program includes bi-monthly newsletters, 22 self-paced online courses and a seven-part video series, helping directors master their core responsibilities. Governance and employment law hotlines and exclusive discounts on events, training aids and guides are included too. New in 2025—Quarterly Governance On-Demand Webinars to keep your board current on the most critical topics in Corporate Governance. We’ve also updated the Compliance Acronym Guide, now known as the Bank Acronym & Terms Guide—expanding it to include a broader range of industry terms. Train your entire board for one low price. This program is a must have for all bank directors. Find out more at Bank Director Program
Additional Resources for Bank Directors: Bank Director Bible-PDF - The Bank Directors’ Bible (4th Edition, 2023) provides industry best practices, insights into issues encountered by community bank directors in today’s environment and how to effectively serve on community bank boards of all sizes. Bank Director Bible (icba.org) Bank Director Glossary - Bank Director Glossary contains more than 200 pages of customary terms used by regulators, executive officers, industry consultants, and attorneys including the latest financial regulations and industry terminology every director needs to understand. Bank Director Glossary (icba.org) Bank Director Video Series - The Bank Director Video Series features 7 different presentations that vary from 14-20 minutes in length. These can be used during board meetings, for annual training, new director training or topic refreshers. Bank Director Video Series (icba.org)
Boardroom Strategies for FI’s - Boardroom Strategies for Financial Institutions focuses on the relationships among board members and how to be effective inside the boardroom. It is a must have for new and experienced board members. This book is a companion book to The Ultimate Guide for Bank Directors, Revised Edition. Boardroom Strategies for Financial Institutions (icba.org) The Ultimate Guide for Bank Directors - The Ultimate Guide for Bank Directors provides bank directors with the knowledge and insight necessary for performing their fiduciary responsibilities conscientiously and effectively. This is a must read for every board member or bank executive aspiring to become a director. Ultimate Guide for Bank Directors (icba.org) Bank Director Events: Bank Director Current Issues Seminar - In this half-day seminar, bank directors and executive community bank leadership from across the country will converge to gain new perspective on corporate board governance and acquire the skills and knowledge needed to promote long-term institutional value. Key learnings include risk and credit management in today’s environment, human capital strategies for attracting and retaining staff, fintech partnership strategies, and more. To attend the Annual Bank Director Current Issues Seminar, you must be fully registered to attend ICBA LIVE. MAR 11, 2025, | In-person, ICBA Live, Nashville, TN (Registration is part of ICBA LIVE.) Director’s Forums - Offered quarterly in half-day sessions, the new Bank Directors Forums cover credit management, corporate governance, compliance, cybersecurity and much more. No two sessions will be the same. Session 1 APR 3, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT Session 2 JUN 5, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT Session 3 SEP 11, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT Session 4 DEC 4, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT ICBA LEAD FWD SummitThe ICBA LEAD FWD Summit is the only national leadership conference for the community banking industry and delivers powerful learning for leaders at every level. By focusing on the principles of leadership, the latest technical banking innovations, and the role of advocacy, we prepare community bankers like you to own the future. 2025 DATE & LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED! ICBA ONLINE COURSESFull Access Plans - Looking to train your entire staff? Choose a plan to meet your needs that offers access to more than 450 courses. Standard Plan - The Standard Plan gives your bank access to the full catalog of over 450 online courses. The system allows for individual or group enrollment into an individual course or multiple courses at one time. You can generate course activity reports that can be downloaded into Excel to provide to auditors and examiners. The bank may enroll an unlimited number of employees into the system for one low price. Subscription runs from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31. Price is prorated at time of purchase. Custom Plan - The Custom Plan provides all the courses and functionality of the Standard Plan, and includes these additional features:
Subscription runs from Jan. 1 – Dec. 31. Price is prorated at time of purchase. Learn more about our Standard and Custom Course plans at: Online Course Plans Course Bundles - If you’re looking for training in a specific area, choose from one of our three bundle options that offer a smaller set of courses. Bundles are available in these subject matters:
Learn More at: Online Course Bundles Online Certificate Programs: ICBA Education’s collection of certificate programs is the ideal way to train those new to the industry, enhance professional skills, gain practical training, explore banking career growth, and affirm expertise. There are several options available on a variety of banking related subjects. Some certificates are available for an unlimited number of employees and others are available on an individual basis. Certificate programs are online, self-paced programs which provide a certificate of completion and do not require continuing education. They are not the same as ICBA’s certification programs, which are instructor led and require continuing education to maintain the specific designation. Learn more at Certificate Programs Individual Courses - Interested in a specific topic? Individual courses can be purchased a la carte. Course access is granted only to the purchaser and is available for 365 days from the date of purchase. Find your Course at: Individual Online Courses LIVEstream Events - ICBA Education’s livestreamed and live in-person events are led by renowned industry experts and address current bank regulations, operational procedures, marketplace trends, the latest technology and more. Data & Analytics Institute: June 10 –12, 2025 | IN-PERSON EVENT, Bloomington, MN Unlock the value hidden in the vast amounts of data your bank collects. See how you can use data analysis to personalize customer service, identify cross-selling opportunities, improve operational efficiency, and predict future trends. This certification empowers bankers to turn data into actionable strategies that drive business growth and improve decision-making. Data & Analytics Institute Enhancing Organizational Value Conference: July 31 – Aug 1, 2025 | IN-PERSON EVENT, Edina, MN This new conference focuses on strategies for community banks to create value. It covers topics like stock liquidity, capital raising and deployment alternatives, succession planning, employee attraction and retention, mergers and acquisitions, equity and equity-like compensation and similar strategic initiatives. Enhancing Organizational Value Conference Marketing Institute: OCT 6 – OCT 9, 2025 | IN-PERSON EVENT, Dallas, TX Master marketing strategy, brand and content management, leveraging digital channels to reach and engage customers, using data analytics to make informed decisions, compliance in marketing, and much more. Gain the skills and solutions to help strengthen existing marketing capabilities and develop new approaches. Marketing Institute IT Institute: Nov 3 – NOV 6, 2025 | IN-PERSON, Atlanta, GA Information technology solutions continue to evolve creating opportunities for community banks to increase efficiency, improve service capabilities, and better safeguard customers. IT Institute Loan Review Seminar: APR 22 – APR 23, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT The loan review process is critical to the success of any community bank. This process must be structured and requires policies and procedures to ensure timely identification of problem credits, asset quality, and accuracy. The process must also include well-defined classification guidelines to ensure consistent loan ratings. Loan Review Seminar Advanced Loan Review Seminar: APR 25 - APR 26, 2025 | LIVESTREAM EVENT This advanced session builds on the materials presented in the Loan Review Seminar to take your analysis skills to the next level. Learn about the common loan level challenges, such as the intricacies of computing global cash flows for businesses and their guarantors. Advanced Loan Review Seminar CLICK HERE TO VIEW A FULL LIST OF 2025 ICBA EDUCATION EVENTS! |
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