Essentials of Banking Series

Join fellow community bankers from around the United States as we grow our knowledge of the banking industry. Essentials of Banking is a six-part, interactive, virtual learning series designed to provide a complete overview of banking principles and operations. Each session is 3 hours in length. CBA will be offering two sets of options for 2025. Option 1 will be offered from January - June. Option 2 will be offered from July - December.

Not sure if you should attend? We encourage new bank employees in all roles/departments and bank directors new to banking, management trainees, and bank veterans who are looking to broaden their banking knowledge to attend this informative series.

Benefits of the Series:

Establish a strong foundational knowledge of banking in the United States
Expand banking skills and knowledge in a focused learning environment
Interact and network with other bankers in a virtual environment
Understand the variety of banking career opportunities
Improve cross functional contributions and performance
Prepare for Graduate Schools of Banking
Know how your bank makes money
Interpret your bank’s financial statements
Define commonly used banking terminology
Develop a mindset of service to all stakeholders
Contribute to your bank’s growth and profitability

*Attendees are not required to complete all 6 parts. Each session may be purchased a la carte within each option time period.

For more information on this series, please contact Becky Soto at becky@cbaofga.com.

October 2025 - March 2026

Session 1 / Money, Banking and My Career - October 15 Evolution of Money and Banking Definition of Money Types of Money Definition of Banking Types of Banks and Bank Organizational Structures Roles and Responsibilities of the Board of Directors Discovering Your Role as An Essential Service Provider Changing Banking Landscape Profitable and Purpose Driven Banking Building Thriving Communities Your Successful Career in Banking Integrity and Ethics in Banking Identifying and Balancing Key Stakeholder Interests Risk Management 101: Safety and Soundness and Consumer Compliance Career Growth Opportunities Key Banking Divisions and Departments Retail Banking Mortgage Banking Commercial Banking Corporate Banking Trust, Investment, and Insurance Services Information Technology Compliance, BSA & Fraud Bank Operations Accounting and Finance Human Resources Marketing
Session 2 / Banking History, Regulators, and Risk Management -November 5 History of Banking in the United States Introduction to Risk Management in Banking Safety and Soundness Consumer Compliance U.S. History and Key Banking Legislation through the Years Understanding the “Why” Behind Key Bank Regulations Uniqueness of U.S. Banking System Dual State and Federal Banks Federal Reserve as the Decentralized, Central Bank Organization of the Federal Reserve System Roles and Responsibilities of the FED U.S. Monetary Policy Roles and Responsibilities of Other Banking Regulators Comptroller of the Currency Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) FDIC Insurance and EDIE Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Consumer Compliance National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Differences Between Banks and Credit Unions Key Advantages of Banking with a Bank Conference of State Bank Supervisors & Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) U.S. Department of the Treasury U.S. Department of Justice and FinCEN BSA and Fraud Current Banking Related Hot Topics
Session 3 / Banking Products and Services -December 10 Assessing Bank Stakeholder Needs Defining the Customers of a Bank and Meeting their Needs Deposit Products and Services Types of Deposit Accounts Other Retail Banking Services What’s New? Loan Products and Services Two Basic Types of Lending Consumer Loan Products and Services Commercial Loan Products and Services 5 C’s of Lending and Credit Analysis Electronic Banking Consumer E-Banking Products and Services Treasury Management Products and Services Trust, Investments, and Insurance Trust Products and Services Investment Products and Services Insurance Products and Services Corporate/Investment Banking Products and Services
Session 4 / How Banks Make Money and Risk Management-January 21, 2026 Understanding Profitability, Liquidity, Cash Flow Why Your Bank’s Profitability and Financials are Important to You How Banks Make Money Deposit and Loan Growth Pricing Deposits and Loans Fee Income Overview of the Balance Sheet Bank Assets Liabilities Shareholder’s Equity Overview of an Income Statement Sources of Income and Expenses Net Profit Other Key Financial Statements Breaking Down a Bank’s Annual Report Risk Management and Safety and Soundness Asset/Liability Management Defining the Various Banking Risks Safeguarding the Bank’s Assets/ Corporate Governance Bank Performance Metrics Key Financial Performance Ratios Other Bank Performance Metrics Bank Examinations Types of Bank Examinations The Anatomy of an Exam CAMELS Rating System Regulatory/Supervisory Actions
Session 5 / Banking Compliance Overview - February 18, 2026 The Purpose of Laws, Regulations, and Your Compliance Compliance Management Fundamentals Regulatory Expectations Changing Role of Compliance Compliance and Your Job Banking and its Regulation Code of Federal Register Alphabet Soup Overview of Key Bank Regulations Safety & Soundness Regs Consumer Compliance Regs The Banker’s Responsibility in Preventing and Reporting Crime Anti-Money Laundering, CIP, and Beneficial Ownership Technology Threats to Banking Scams and Elder Abuse Internal Fraud/Crime Requirements and Best Practices for Crime Prevention Security Regulations Reg P – Privacy of Consumer Information Bank Protection Act of 1968
Session 6 / WOW! Service and Growing the Bank -March 18, 2026 Stakeholder Service Excellence Serving Your Key Stakeholders The Evolving Banking Business and the Customer Experience The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing Branding 101: Building the Bank’s and Your Personal Brand Defining and Building Client Loyalty Providing Service that WOW’s Customer Service Standards Effective Communication Strategies Growing the Bank Growing the Bank is Everyone’s Job The Banker’s Role as a Trusted Advisor Proactively Helping Customers Building Profitable Relationships Tips For Successful Networking Business Development Strategies for All Bankers Giving Back to Your Community

Attendees are required to:

- Have Zoom virtual meeting access
- Interact with facilitator and other participants in a live, virtual environment
- Actively participate in all activities and exercises
- Complete assignments
- Have full, working computer microphone and speakers or phone access
- Participate in chat discussions

For the best training experience and learning results, attendees are highly encouraged to have their video cameras on during training.

Traditional schedule for each session:

1:30 pm - 2:00 pm - Log-Ins Begin
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Program

*Breaks will be called.

To receive a full overview of banking, it is recommended that participants attend all six sessions of the series, beginning with Session I. However, one session is not a prerequisite for another. Each session may be attended as a stand-alone class.