I started my day early this morning, walking outside and taking in the views — but also taking time for review. I reviewed projects for the business, reflected on our future, and made a few new connections that I hadn’t been able to make before. Sometimes we move so fast that we don’t realize how much clarity comes from slowing down and stepping back.
As I walked along Main Street here, passing small mom-and-pop shops, I couldn’t help but think about the changes ahead for banking. Over the next 5 to 10 years, our industry will undergo significant consolidation. It will become increasingly difficult for smaller banks to survive unless they reach scale — $3 to $5 billion in assets just to absorb the regulatory and technological costs coming at us.
Still, I’m more resolved today than I was yesterday to keep championing the importance of independent, community banks. Local markets need local institutions — not just for lending, but for leadership. We need diversification in our financial sector the same way we need it in our economy: strong community anchors that know their neighborhoods, invest in people, and keep Main Street alive.
Today, I’m grateful for the time to reflect on that truth — and for the renewed conviction that the work we do matters.