20 leaders in modern banking every community banker should follow

The best way to plan for the future is with as much reliable information as possible, and that goes double in the banking world. Historical data may be helpful to an extent, but the real meat is in what’s happening today. The more current data you have, the easier it is to validate trends and the more confident you will be in your next steps.

And we’re not just talking numbers here. As banking becomes increasingly digitized and changes happen faster than ever, it’s vital to stay current with news, analysis and trends. That’s why we have compiled this list of 20 leaders in modern banking. With the breadth of experience and perspectives on this list, you can gather the information you need to move your bank forward with confidence.

20 leaders in modern banking worth following

Check out the brief bios and links below to get up to speed on the state of community banking and where things are heading.

1. Michael Adelman, President and CEO of Ohio Bankers League

Over the past 18 years, Michael has served community banks in Ohio through increasingly senior roles at the Ohio Bankers League. In 2014 he was named President of OBL.

Follow Michael on LinkedIn and Twitter

2. Cynthia Blankenship, Director, Charter Shareholder, Vice Chair & Corporate Bank President at Bank of the West

Cynthia has spent over 36 years working for Bank of the West. She is also a former chair of Independent Community Bankers of America and remains an advocate of community banking.

Follow Cynthia on LinkedIn and Twitter

3. Syed Bukhari, Partner at Elixirr

Syed has nearly two decades of experience in digital transformation, including six years at PwC and then at Gartner, where he led their digital banking program for North America. He has taken this wealth of experience with him to the global consulting firm Elixirr.

Follow Syed on LinkedIn and Twitter

4. Chris Carlson, Managing Director at Core Academy and Principal at CC Consulting

Chris is a consultant who specializes in helping companies find the strategies and tools they need to get to the next level of growth. His focus on sales and marketing should be of note to any community bankers looking to grow their bank.

Follow Chris on LinkedIn

5. Harvey Church, President and COO of TriStar Bank

Harvey has spent over three decades in leadership positions at community banks. In January 2020 he was named President and Chief Operating Officer at TriStar Bank.

Follow Harvey on LinkedIn

6. Dr. Ken Cyree, Dean and Chair of Banking at the University of Mississippi

Dr. Cyree has been teaching on finance topics for over 25 years. His specialties include banking, money and bond markets, and econometrics. He has published multiple papers on banking and finance and has been recognized with numerous awards, including Outstanding Teacher of the Year in 2007 and Outstanding Senior Researcher in 2014.

Follow Ken on LinkedIn

7. Jill Castilla, President and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond

As president and CEO of Citizens Bank of Edmond, Jill led the fastest bank turnaround in the nation without adding capital. If that wasn’t enough, she is also a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army and a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council.

Follow Jill on LinkedIn and Twitter

8. Melissa Johnston, Co-Founder of Entrepreneurs Bancshares, Inc.

Melissa has two decades of experience in community banking. She started as a credit analyst in 2002 and has worked her way through increasingly senior positions to her current role as Chief Credit Officer and co-founder of EntreBank. She also co-founded Entrepreneurs Bancshares, Inc. in 2021.

Follow Melissa on LinkedIn and Twitter

9. Joshua Juergensen, Principal at CLA Minneapolis

Joshua focuses on community banking at CLA, where he puts his 15 years of experience to work for small and medium bank clients. He is also an active contributor to the CLA blog.

Follow Joshua on LinkedIn

10. Sam Kilmer, Managing Director at Cornerstone Advisors

Sam is an author, speaker, and fintech advisor. He is also a co-founder of the “Fintech Hustle” podcast and a frequent contributor to Gonzobanker.

Follow Sam on LinkedIn and Twitter

11. Marcia (Marci) Malzahn, President of Malzahn Strategic and Keynote Speaker at Crowning Achievements International

In 2005, Marci co-founded the community bank Tradition Capital Bank, where she also led operations from 2005 to 2014. Since then, she has been president of Malzahn Strategic, a management consultancy for community banks.

Follow Marci on LinkedIn and Twitter

12. Jeff Marisco, President of Kafafian Group

Jeff is a bestselling author and community banking consultant. After seven years in the Navy, he held increasingly senior leadership positions at banks and financial institutions. He landed at Kafafian Group in 2000, where was named President in 2021.

Follow Jeff on LinkedIn and Twitter

13. Jim Marous, Owner and Host of Banking Transformed

Jim is truly one of the brightest stars in banking. He hosts the “Banking Transformed” podcast, co-publishes The Financial Brand, and publishes the Digital Banking Report. For the past 10 years, Jim has been named a top five influencer in banking.

Follow Jim on LinkedIn and Twitter

14. Jack McCullough, President at the CFO Leadership Council

Jack founded the CFO Leadership Council, co-founded the MIT Sloan CFO Summit, and is a prolific keynote speaker. He has also written two books: Secrets of Rockstar CFOs (2019) and The Psychopathic CEO: An Executive Survival Guide (2021).

Follow Jack on LinkedIn and Twitter

15. JP Nicols, Cofounder of Alloy Labs Alliance

JP is an expert on banking and shares his knowledge as a podcaster, educator, and author. He spent nearly 30 years in leadership roles at banks, including 20 years at US Bank. Since then, he has co-founded the innovative Alloy Labs Alliance, the Bank Innovators Council, and FinTech Forge.

Follow JP on LinkedIn and Twitter

16. Jim Perry, Senior Strategist at Market Insights

With nearly 40 years in finance roles in nonprofit and for-profit organizations, Jim is an invaluable leader on community banking. Since 2005, he has helped community banks flourish through his work at Market Insights. He is also a writer and speaker on a broad range of community banking topics. 

Follow Jim on LinkedIn and Twitter

17. Rebeca Romero Rainey, President and CEO of ICBA

As head of The Independent Community Bankers of America, Rebeca is a national figure advocating for community banks. Before she joined ICBA in 2018, Rebeca spent 19 years as president and CEO of Centinel Bank of Taos.

Follow Rebecca on LinkedIn and Twitter

18. Ron Shevlin, CRO at Cornerstone Advisors

As Chief Research Officer at Cornerstone Advisors, Ron shares his expertise through his incomparable research reports. His book Smarter Bank: Why Money Management is More Important Than Money Movement to Banks and Credit Unions was published in 2015.

Follow Ron on LinkedIn and Twitter

19. Rory Ritrievi, CEO of Mid-Penn Bancorp

Rory joined Mid-Penn Bank in 2009. He led spectacular growth at Mid-Penn in 2021, increasing its asset base 43% in just one year.

Follow Rory on LinkedIn and Twitter

20. Dr. Kevin Suber Ph.D., Professor and Discipline Lead of Banking and Financial Services Program Collin College Plano Campus (Spring Creek)

Dr. Suber spent nearly 30 years as a financial planner before becoming a professor. His courses specialize in community banking and financial services. He is also an active speaker and author on community banking topics.

Follow Kevin on LinkedIn and Twitter

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As banking continues to evolve, it’s important to make sure your bank is on solid footing. Following these community banking and finance experts will help give you access to the best information to help you stay on top of trends and make the best decisions for your bank. 

*These individuals are not affiliated with Deluxe or its website and do not sponsor or endorse Deluxe or any of its products or statements.