2024 Journal of Community Bank Case Studies

Letter from the President & CEO

Ten years ago, we launched the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) Community Bank Case Study Competition to encourage undergraduate students to learn about the banking industry. As part of the competition, student teams partner with local community banks to explore an annual research topic set by CSBS. The teams then compete in three rounds of rigorous judging by state and federal regulators. The top three teams earn monetary scholarships.

The rewards have been immense for all involved. The CSBS Community Bank Case Study Competition has given hundreds of students an appreciation of the value of community banks and influenced many of them to work in banking or financial regulation. As a bonus, the research generated has provided useful information for policy makers on the impact of laws, regulations, and even new technologies on the operations of community banks and their impact on the communities they serve. This year, 27 student teams representing 21 colleges and universities entered the competition. They were tasked with developing lessons learned from the Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank closures, identifying their partner banks’ expectations for regulatory and supervisory changes, and evaluating how the banks are using social media. A team from the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania earned first place for its submission and will present its work at the Community Banking Research Conference (www.communitybanking.org) in October. Teams from the University of Illinois-Springfield placed second, and Southeastern Louisiana University placed third. All three of these teams provided excellent research, well-developed analysis, and solid recommendations. On behalf of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, I am pleased to present their work in the 2024 Journal of Community Bank Case Studies.

Sincerely,

Brandon Milhorn President and CEO Conference of State Bank Supervisors

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