Podcasts
The One-Person Marketing Team Leveraging AI at Scale with Lacey Keller
In this episode, Lacey Keller, Marketing Coordinator at First National Bank of Waterloo, shares how her bank built an AI innovation committee, trained employees across departments, and adopted AI tools to improve efficiency and decision-making. She discusses creating custom AI agents that handle everything from content creation and budget dashboards to employee engagement portals and…
How Bridgewater Bank is Growing Deposits with Chief Deposit Officer Katie Klug
Today we feature another backstage interview from our Deposit Conference. We sit down with Chief Deposit Officer Katie Klug from Bridgewater Bank to talk about her role and the bank’s focus on growing deposits. Click Here to Learn More About the Premium Earnings Credit Program. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are…
Building an AI-Powered Community Bank with Greg Solomon
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Greg Solomon, Senior Vice President and Director of Information Technology at Bank Independent, to discuss how a $3 billion community bank is moving from AI awareness to AI execution. Greg shares Bank Independent’s approach to building AI agents, automating workflows, improving employee productivity, and creating governance structures…
Building a Performance Culture that Lasts with Jack Hubbard
In this episode, we sit down with renowned banking consultant, Jack Hubbard. With more than five decades of banking and consulting experience and over 81,000 bankers trained, Jack shares why the most successful banks move beyond traditional sales cultures and embrace a true performance culture. Click Here to Book a Call and Learn About the…
The Rise of the Chief Deposit Officer with Brian Love from The Travillian Group
Today we feature a backstage interview from our recent Deposit Conference. We sit down with Brian Love from The Travaillian Group to discuss deposits, talent, and the rise of the Chief Deposit Officer. Click Here to Book a Call and Learn About the ARC Program The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show…
Why You Need to Do Hard Things with Billy Boughey
Today we feature another backstage conversation from our 2026 Elevate Banking Forum. We sit down with Billy Boughey, keynote speaker and Founder of Elevate Experiences… and the first ever guest on the Community Bank Podcast! The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not…
Why the U.S. Economy Gets a “B-Minus” Grade with Dr. Elliot Eisenberg
Today we share a special backstage interview from our 2026 Elevate Banking Forum with Dr. Elliot Eisenberg. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState Bank and its employees. SouthState Bank, N.A. – Member FDIC
An Interview with Scott Latham—CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association
In this episode, Bailey Erickson sits down with Scott Latham, CEO of the Alabama Bankers Association. They discuss the issues facing community banks, both nationally, and in the state of Alabama. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState…
Lessons from Chick-fil-A on Leadership and Culture with Dee Ann Turner
In this episode, Caleb Stevens sits down with Dee Ann Turner, former Chick-fil-A executive, bestselling author, and leadership expert, to discuss the principles behind enduring leadership, remarkable culture, and talent selection. The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved and do not necessarily represent those of SouthState…
David Salyers on the Leadership Principles Behind Remarkable Brands
Today, we’re sharing an episode from BJ Green’s podcast, Leadership is Everything. In it, David Salyers, former Vice President of Marketing at Chick-fil-A and co-author of Remarkable!, tells us how a leader can create environments where people thrive, customers become advocates, and purpose drives performance. David shares lessons from working alongside Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy, the power…
What Bankers can Learn From Fighter Pilots
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Sarah, an F-22 Raptor pilot stationed in Okinawa, to discuss her journey from aviation student to combat-ready fighter pilot and instructor candidate. What can bankers learn from fighter pilots? Sarah shares insights on mission planning, continuous learning, decision-making under pressure, and the importance of rigorous debriefs. She…
The Basics of Stablecoin, Tokenized Deposits, and What it Means for Your Bank
In this episode of The Community Bank Podcast, SouthState’s Tara Edmonds joins Caleb Stevens to unpack one of banking’s hottest topics: stablecoins, tokenized deposits, and the future of money movement. Tara explains what community bankers need to know, why regulatory clarity is accelerating adoption, and how emerging payment technologies could reshape deposits, customer relationships, and the…
Building the Future Community Bank with Jim Marous
Today, we sit down with banking industry veteran Jim Marous. Jim joins Caleb Stevens to discuss one of the biggest challenges facing community banks: preparing for the future without being constrained by the past. They explore leadership transitions, AI adoption, deposit growth, and why digital resilience may become the defining factor separating future winners from…
The Playbook for Enterprise AI Adoption with Walt Wear
In this episode, Chris Nichols sits down with Walt Wear, SouthState’s AI Enablement Manager, to discuss the bank’s Copilot adoption journey, lessons learned from scaling AI across the organization, and what’s next as the industry moves toward agentic AI. Walt shares how a community-first approach, weekly office hours, AI Central, and a crowdsourced prompt library…
SouthState CEO John Corbett on Leadership, Culture, and Why Community Banking Matters
Today, we’re sharing BJ Green’s pilot episode from his new podcast, Leadership is Everything. In it, SouthState Bank’s CEO, John Corbett, explores what it takes to build and scale a successful banking organization. From starting a de novo bank to leading a $68 billion institution, Corbett breaks down the principles that guide effective leadership: alignment, accountability,…
How to Grow Your Bank’s ROE with Ed Kofman
Today on the show Caleb Stevens sits down with Ed Kofman to discuss 4 key drivers of profitability for today’s community banks. Download our newest eBook: The Community Bank Performance Engine! Click Here to Book a Call with Ed The views, information, or opinions expressed during this show are solely those of the participants involved…
What’s Next for Rates, Inflation, and the Markets with Joe Keating
In this episode, Tom Fitzgerald sits down with economist Joseph Keating to discuss the economic outlook amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, evolving Federal Reserve policy, and rapid investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure. The conversation provides an essential and timely look at the key economic forces shaping the remainder of 2026 and the path into 2027. Register…
How First Community Bank is Creating a Sales Culture with Scott Cocanougher and Randy Goggans
Today we sit down with Scott Cocanougher, CEO of First Community Bank in Shelbyville, Tennessee and Randy Goggans, founder of the company BankerBounty. Together we discuss the keys to creating change inside your organization and how to create an effective referral program. Click Here to Book a Free Strategy Call. The views, information, or opinions…
How the Best Leaders Create a Strategic Plan with Mark Kanaly
In this episode of The Community Bank Podcast, Caleb Stevens sits down with attorney Mark Kanaly to explore the fundamentals of effective strategic planning for community banks. They discuss how strong leadership, clear alignment, and thoughtful preparation can turn strategy from a one-time exercise into a living, actionable roadmap. Mark shares practical insights on fostering collaboration,…
How Early Leadership Lessons Shape the Next Generation of Bankers
In this episode, Chris Nichols and Caleb Stevens sit down with Brennan Perkins, a recent Citadel graduate, to explore how early leadership experiences translate into a career in banking. From learning how to be an effective follower to leading peers under pressure, Brennan shares key lessons on servant leadership, attention to detail, and building influence…