A fast-paced, interactive session highlighting recent developments in the industry and their impact upon the different sizes community banks. Topics include performance trends, changes in accounting, recent merger activity and forward-looking projections from the industry leader in serving community banks.

• Gain a industry-wide perspective on trends affecting banks of all sizes
• Review recent merger activity and pricing
• Understand the primary drivers behind bank values
• See a dissection of publicly-traded bank stocks and reasons for different valuations
• Discuss how some new investor groups may use their newly acquired bank charters going forward
• Acquire the data and perspectives needed to assess where the industry is headed

The past decade has brought many changes to the banking industry. Smaller banks, primarily retail, used to post the highest ROAs in the industry, while the largest banks, primarily wholesale, had the lowest ROAs. Changes in the industry have reversed these positions and threaten the community bank industry.

• Key fundamental changes occurring in the industry that are affecting profitability trends and feeding consolidation
• The effects of these changes and how to use that knowledge to create a plan and chart your own path

The past 15 years have seen more than a thousand new banks open in growing communities throughout the nation. Many of these new banks have already been sold at record prices, and their founders are busy starting new ones. Can this trend continue? Will today's de novo banks experience the same success?

• Where today's de novo bank hot spots are
• The latest earnings trends
• Why many feel that the current crop of de novo banks may have trouble growing

Many banks struggle with deciding which strategic initiative to pursue—branching, S-Corp conversion, share repurchase, buying a bank or branch, etc. Further, a recent survey of bank CEOs indicated that this indecision was the largest obstacle to taking action. Rather than focusing on specific performance measures (ROA, efficiency ratios, etc.) bankers should focus on initiatives that maximize shareholder value.

• The dynamics of what creates shareholder value
• How to examine and implement the strategic options available to your bank