5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Join us at the Cutting Garden to mix and mingle with attendees and their guests during this exclusive CEO retreat.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Welcome Dinner
After the reception, we invite attendees and their guests to join us for dinner at the Cutting Garden.
7:15 AM – 8:00 AM
Attendee & Guest Breakfast
Before our sessions and conversations, attendees and guests join us for breakfast at the Garden House South.
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Welcome and Introductions
Michelle King, CEO, Bank Director
Laura Schield, President & COO, Bank Director
Michelle and Laura welcome all participants and coordinate introductions of all bankers involved in the Exchange. We review the schedule and tee up our time together.
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Refreshment Break
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Peer Conversations – Governance
The group discusses board performance, board governance and process, covering topics such as:
Board Performance
- Board Engagement
- Board Composition
- Board Recruitment
- Board Evaluation
Board Governance and Process
- Board Committees and Membership
- Ensuring Independence from Board Members
- Board Agendas
- Board Meeting Cadence
- Role of the Board vs. Role of the Executive Team
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Refreshment Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Peer Conversations – Making Technology Work
Topics like these are discussed during this moderated conversation:
- Aligning Digital Strategy with Overall Strategy
- Adopting and Deploying New Technology
- Technology Budget
- Partnering and Investing Via Accelerators, Incubators, Fintech Consortium and Fintechs
- Promising Technologies at Your Bank
- Your Bank’s Culture of Innovation
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Networking Lunch
Attendees continue off-the-record conversations over lunch at the Cutting Garden.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Peer Conversations – Growth Strategies
This moderated discussion focuses on topics such as:
- Consumer-Driven Growth
- Non-Bank Competition
- Build vs. Buy Strategy
- Alignment of Digital Strategy with Bank’s Overall Strategy
- Leveraging Digital Platforms to Expand the Bank’s Market
- Fintech Consortium or Investor
- Innovation Leader at Your Bank
- Digital Currency
- Use Cases for Artificial Intelligence
1:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Refreshment Break
1:45 PM – 2:45 PM
Peer Conversations – Capital Allocation Considerations
The group discusses these topics during this moderated conversation:
- Guiding Principles for Capital Allocation Decisions
- Target Hurdle Rate
- Durability of Return
- Sustainability of Return
- Efficiency Ratio vs. Net Overhead
- Accessing Capital
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Wrap-Up
Michelle King, CEO, Bank Director
Laura Schield, President & COO, Bank Director
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Group Activity
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Networking Dinner
Attendees and their guests are invited to dinner at The Grange.
7:15 AM – 8:00 AM
Breakfast
Attendees and guests join us for breakfast at the Garden House South before we begin our second day of sessions and conversations.
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Peer Conversations – Succession Planning, Talent & Culture
This moderated discussion focuses on succession planning, talent acquisition, retention, development and compensation.
- Succession Planning for CEO and Other C-suite Executives
- Filling Key Roles – from Inside and Outside
- Is the Talent You Have, The Talent You Need?
- Recruiting Talent
- Developing Talent
- Characteristics of Ideal Candidates
- Other Talent, Culture and Compensation Challenges
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Refreshment Break
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Peer Conversations – Risks
The group has a discussion around general risks, IT risks, reputational risks and regulation:
- Top Three Risks for Your Bank
- Tools Used to Manage Risk
- Chief Risk Officers
- CTO vs CISO
- Management of Enterprise Risk
- IT Risks – Cyber Risk, Cybersecurity, Ransomware
- Vendor Risk
- Reputational Risk
- Top Three Regulatory Compliance Challenges
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Refreshment Break
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Peer Conversations – What’s Needed & What’s Next for 2026?
Michelle King, CEO, Bank Director
Laura Schield, President & COO, Bank Director
Based on all of the discussions that have occurred throughout the event, Michelle and Laura close the meeting with a recap and follow-up on top-of-mind issues the group would like to address.
- Differentiating Your Bank
- What Does Your Bank Solve For?
- Reviewing Market Analysis
- Scaling in a Niche
- Does Your Bank’s Name Serve You Well?
- Utilizing Data Effectively
- Competing Against Credit Unions
- Customer Experience and Customizations
- Anticipating the Needs of Your Customers
- Creating a Chick-Fil-A Experience
- The Excuses Not to Do Something
- Banking Is Not Complicated – Have We Made It So?
12:00 PM
Boxed Lunch for Attendees and Guests
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Activities at Stanly Ranch
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Networking Reception
After returning from the afternoon’s activities and having time to refresh, we gather attendees and guests at the Garden House South for heavy appetizers and cocktails.