We’ve known Scott for a long time and his expertise in BOLI is unparalleled. He rose rapidly through the ranks in both the financial services and life insurance industries, where he amassed a wealth of expertise during the first half of his 30+ year career. He created solid relationships with bank regulatory agencies and was integral in the development of customized benefit plans and BOLI placements for hundreds of banks across the country. This unique background has equipped Scott with the capabilities of providing clients with sound wisdom in the design and legal aspects of compensation, non-qualified benefits, and both bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) and corporate-owned life insurance (COLI) plans.

Jeff Voss weighed in on possible rate cuts: "I think rate cuts are going to be data dependent. I think the one thing about the Fed is, relatively speaking, it's as independent as you can come and they're focused on analyzing the data, interpreting the data and making decisions."

Jim Adkins offered a few words of advice: "I do think that, in terms of enterprise risk management, you could  - in your procedure and policies and how you model things out - you might want to model some changes into your risk management process."

Reach out to Jim or Jeff if you have questions or want to discuss any issues or challenges your financial institution is facing.

· The role that risk plays in managing a profitable bank

· A frank discussion of the average board member’s understanding of risk and what needs to change

· What the current mood on risk management is among regulators and how it can affect your exams

There’s something in it for everyone, so listen now.

“After personnel, your bank’s biggest cost is likely your core vendor contract. If it’s not working in service of your overall strategic plan, then it’s just not working.”

- Jim Adkins, Managing Partner, Artisan Advisors

In the latest episode of Artisan Unfiltered, “Core Vendor Technology and Your Strategic Plan,” our team of experts – Steve Heckard, Matt Bergman, Jim Adkins and Jeff Voss – dive deep into the complexities of negotiating the core processing vendor agreement that will drive your strategic plan.

You’ll get great advice on:

· Hidden landmines that may be lurking in your contracts

· What to look for in a vendor to know if it’s right for your bank

· What you should be doing right now to ensure a smooth renewal or conversion process Listen here and contact Steve or Matt to get a pulse on whether your current contract is setting your bank up for success.

You’ll also learn more about whether a Virtual RFP is right for your bank.

For smaller institutions, Artisan Advisors offers its vRFP – a comprehensive contract review process which is implemented virtually to minimize engagement fees and provides project management, industry knowledge and overall assistance with a competitive vendor review. We perform significant due diligence in reviewing existing contracts, invoices, bank strategies and objectives, and how the bank utilizes the services being received. We also use the vRFP to define bank requirements and collect vendor due diligence. Artisan manages the entire process, provides financial analysis of proposals, and negotiates contract terms, resulting in a contract that works for the bank and helps them achieve their strategic goals.

Kyle Manny is a partner in the financial services sector at Plant Moran in Chicago, and specializes in proactively addressing risk to protect and build shareholder value and minimize the risk of regulatory criticism. He supervises assurance, tax, and risk management engagements and provides holistic services to his clients that include community banks, specialty finance lenders, as small as 100 million in assets, and large regional and national brands.

Peter Fotopoulos, Managing Director at Artisan Advisors has served as an executive level management consultant with Artisan Advisors since 2011. His areas of expertise in client service include strategic planning, financial management, operational analysis, profit improvement, asset liability, ACL methodology and implementation, and regulatory response management.

Jeff Voss is a founder and a Managing Partner of Artisan Advisors.  Since 2009, Jeff has advised and assisted C-suite level officers and their boards of directors on a variety of management, financial, operational and regulatory matters, with an emphasis on strategic planning, financial forecasting, risk management practices and capital planning.

Mike's work has focused on corporate transformation and revenue growth. A pioneer in relationship marketing, Mike leads an Allant Group whose mission is to help its clients leverage data, analytics, improve customer experiences, and integrate marketing and technology.

Cynthia is an award winning public relations veteran with a career long focus on branding and communication. At Artisan, Cynthia helps companies define their brand and develop an integrated marketing program that supports the company's strategic plan. She knows how to effectively message what needs to be communicated by cutting through the noise of the marketplace.

Watch liquidity. Actively manage risk.  Embrace patience, discipline and simplicity.

Words of wisdom from special guest and noted banking and investment expert and educator, Ed Krei, and Artisan Advisors’ Jim Adkins, Jeff Voss and Dave Larson in our latest edition of Artisan Unfiltered. Listen now to hear their unique and insightful POVs on the Fed’s latest interest rate increase and what it means for banks going into the new year.

• John Hecht, Managing Director with Artisan Advisors
• John Reichert and Melissa Lanska, attorneys and banking experts with Reinhart, Boerner, Van Duren’s Banking and Finance Practice

We tapped the sharp legal minds of John Reichert and Melissa Lanska, attorneys and banking experts with Reinhart, Boerner, Van Duren’s Banking and Finance Practice - as well as our own John Hecht - for a fast-paced and wide-ranging discussion of some of the biggest challenges facing community banks today. The role of technology dependence on net interest margin, shareholder liquidity, branching and strategic planning and a little M&A to keep the discussion lively – it’s all in there. Tune in for smart, incisive and occasionally hard-to-hear advice from the front lines of the fight to keep community banks relevant.