On Jan. 23, 2021, we held our first-ever virtual Community Reinvestment Conference! This year’s conference had over 100 bankers registered from across the state. Because of the virtual format, we were joined by many first-timers who could not attend in person in the past.

This year featured many great speakers and topics. We started with Krista Shonk, American Bankers Association, who spoke on “Where is CRA Modernization Headed.” Krista gave some insight into what we can expect coming down the pike with CRA. Lisa Menninger, RMC Consulting, taught everyone how to relieve stress with her presentation on “Mindfulness.” Kate Nance, Adult Protective Services, gave an excellent presentation on protecting the seniors in our lives from fraudsters and scams. Robert Spendlove, Zions Bank, provided an Economic Outlook, noting that many of the economy’s changes are due to the pandemic. Robert shared with attendees a snapshot of what the economy looked like in the past and what is predicted for the future. James Ballentine, American Bankers Association, spoke to the “Political Landscape — Changing of the Guard.” With newly appointed government officials, James gave us insight into what is happening in D.C and what we might expect with the new Administration.