Best of BankTalk 2026: Trends, Takeaways & TogethernessShaping the Future of Community Banking

8/20/2026 - By Nancy Patton

Gallery of 16 Pictures

When we sit down each year to plan Saltmarsh’s annual community banking event, we look back and think, “How can it get any better than last year?” Well, this year, our 21st annual BankTalk truly exceeded our own expectations.

Held at the Raymond James headquarters in St. Petersburg, BankTalk brought together more than 150 banking professionals for two days of conversation, connection, and learning. Our attendees represented 56 banks across 16 states, and, if you know one thing about bankers, you can be sure they generated a few hundred LinkedIn connection requests throughout the event.

Technology, Risk & What Comes Next

BankTalk kicked off with our signature Technology Funnel, diving into some of the biggest AI, stablecoin, and embedded finance opportunities community banksare working through today. 

Becky Reed, COO of BankSocial, opened the conversation with a look at stablecoins and why digital dollars may be less of a threat to traditional banking and more of an opportunity for banks ready to adapt. Tina Wyatt, CAMS, CCBCO, Director of Compliance at RockPointBank, followed with a firsthand look at embedded finance. Drawing from RockPointBank's experience building a fintech program, she shared practical lessons around third-party risk, BSA/AML oversight, examiner expectations, and the operational realities of bringing embedded finance into a bank.

Jason Keith, CIA, CISA, Partner at Saltmarsh, explored the foundation of AI, focusing on an issue that can easily get lost in the AI conversation: before banks can put their data to work, they need to understand what data they have, where it lives, and how it can be trusted.

Diving Into Compliance

The afternoon moved to our Compliance Funnel, where the sessions turned toward flagging fraud, deregulation, and the practical realities of maintaining a strong compliance program.

Michael Benardo, former FDIC Associate Director, Division of Risk Management Supervision, explored insider fraud and the importance of bringing IT security, compliance, and HR together to identify and address threats before they become bigger problems. Stephanie Lyon, Esq., CRCM, CERP, NCCO, NCRM, NCBSO, CAMS of Ncontracts tackled another timely question: with deregulation comes the temptation to trim. Her session challenged bank boards to distinguish between smart efficiency and risky shortcuts.

We closed the day with Saltmarsh Partner Kristen Stogniew's, Esq., CFE “Lessons Learned From a Lifetime in Industry,” an engaging look at the advice, experiences, successes, and failures that have shaped her career in bank consulting.

Looking Ahead: Economics, M&A & Leadership

Tuesday morning shifted the conversation to our Executive Forum, a broader forces shaping community banking.

Brian Bailey, CRE, CCIM, Global Head of Research at Trimont, provided an economic update with a focus on commercial real estate, exploring interest rates, property valuations, sector trends, and what banks should be watching as the CRE market continues to evolve.

Brian Nestor, Managing Director of Investment Banking at Raymond James, followed with an update on M&A activity and the factors driving institutions to consider scale, efficiency, and strategic opportunities in an increasingly favorable environment for transactions.

The morning wrapped with an executive leadership and strategy panel moderated by Saltmarsh Director Paul Allen, CPA and featured Rob Shaw (CEO @ Echelon Bank), Amanda Stevens (CEO @ Raymond James Bank), Mary Usategui (President & CEO @ BankMiami), Kyle Phelps (President of Emerging Markets @ Colony Bank). The conversation offered perspectives on navigating change, building for the future, and leading community banks through a rapidly shifting environment.

Practical Insights You Can Take Back to the Bank

BankTalk's final workshops, hosted by our own consulting experts, gave attendees the opportunity to move from big-picture discussions to practical application. 

  • Kristen Stogniew, Esq., CFE led “BSA & Beyond,” offering a fresh take on her Essential Framework for understanding BSA requirements and modernizing AML/CFT programs. 
  • Sarah Oliver, CRCM and Lorraine Faust, CRCM led an interactive session on compliance and fair lending updates, including a hands-on walkthrough of a Fair Lending Risk Assessment and practical tools attendees could take back to their institutions.
  • Josh Strickland, CPA and Jay Newsome, CPA rounded out the workshops with Accounting & CECL, covering new accounting guidance, regulatory expectations, modeling considerations, qualitative factors, and governance practices.

Continuing the Conversation

BankTalk is more than just presentations and collecting CE credits. It's an opportunity for banking professionals to step away from the day-to-day, compare notes with peers, ask questions, and think strategically about what's next for their bank. We're grateful to everyone who joined us, shared their expertise, and helped make BankTalk 2026 another meaningful gathering for the community banking industry.

A special heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, Raymond James, Arriba Advisors, EyesClear, ZKS Law, New Edge Associates, NContracts, RATA Associates, Bank Social, Avila Law, and Sebastian Strong for helping us continue this tradition. Here's to another year of learning, collaboration, and moving community banking forward!

Related Posts

Since 1944 Achieving Success by Contributing to the Success of Others