Senior Retail Banking Forum

Date:

Jan 15, 2026

Location:
IBA Center for Professional Development
8425 Woodfield Crossing Blvd, Suite 155E
Indianapolis, IN 46240

An Investment in Your Bank’s Future!

This Senior Retail Banking Forum will provide a platform and opportunity for Retail Banking Officers to exchange ideas freely, examine pressing issues in today’s ever-evolving regulatory, cost-conscience and productivity-driven environment. You don’t want to miss this opportunity!

Peer-to-peer sessions have proven very successful for IBA membership focus groups such as the CFO Forums, Human Resources Director Forum, Senior Lender Forums, and IT Officer & Operations Officer Forums.  Based on feedback from the membership, this new Senior Retail Banking Forum will be no exception.

The IBA is pleased to provide this program where individuals who are responsible for retail banking issues in their institutions have the opportunity to discuss and explore collaborative solutions to challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.

The Senior Retail Banking Forum will meet three times annually at the Indiana Bankers Association headquarters. The agenda for each session will flow based on feedback from participants in the forum group.  As necessary, subject matter experts will be brought in to cover specific issues and topics based on responses from the forum members.

PDF Brochure


Agenda

Session I: January 15, 2026
Session II: May 7, 2026
Session III: September 17, 2026 

8:30 a.m.      Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 a.m.      Program Begins
12:00 p.m.    Lunch
3:00 p.m.      Program Adjourns

Topics

The Topics for each session will flow based on feedback from participants in the forum group.  As necessary, subject matter experts will be brought in to cover specific issues and topics based on responses from forum members.

Possible Forum Topics

  • Current Events: deposit rates and deposit growth strategies; addressing customer concerns about recent bank failures; overdraft/NSF Fees; NSF representments; FedNow; etc.
  • Regulatory: recent loan exam findings; compliance best practices; regulatory amendments, implementation, and advisories; etc.
  • People Issues: employee retention strategies; maximizing team member engagement; designing training programs; progressive discipline tools; coaching strategies; employee recognition programs; recruiting best practices; flexible work hours; help with job descriptions; etc.
  • Sales and Service: customer service measurement tools; goal setting; incentives; sales and service standards and training; holding effective retail leadership team meetings; client communication best practices; accountability practices; business development strategies; etc.
  • Operational: addressing internal and external fraud; branch remodels and opening strategies; safety and security; banking hours; customer service center staffing and responsibilities; etc.
  • Technology: CRM software; core provider recommendations and conversion strategies; ITM recommendations and best practices; customer care center software; online banking and business online banking vendors and procedures; consumer loan platform recommendations; etc.
  • Marketing and Product Development: leveraging word-of-mouth marketing; driving positive online reviews; effective deposit growth/retail loan growth strategies; CD and MMA products; vendor partnerships; workplace banking; etc.
  • The Big Picture: strategies to grow bank profitability; organizational structure and culture alignment; partnering with other divisions to grow the bank; deepening client relationships; improving communication across departments; etc.
Speaker(s)

Meet Your Facilitator

Christie Drexler is the Owner of Drexler Consulting, LLC, a financial services consulting and training business focused on developing purpose-driven, competent, servant leaders in all roles of banking. In association with Performance Solutions, Inc. and Dianne Barton, Christie has offered training and consulting services through Drexler Consulting, LLC, for the past five years. In addition, Christie has twenty-six years of direct experience in the financial services industry, working for both community and large regional banks. Her experience has been expansive to include successfully navigating retail and commercial banking careers. She has served as Division President, Market President, Chief Credit Officer, Chief Retail Officer, and Regional Sales & Services Manager. Christie has a B.S. in Finance from Berry College and an MBA from Georgia College and State University. She is a passionate facilitator and coach who strives to live the values and leadership strategies she teachers in her training programs.

Additional Information

Benefits of the Forum…

  • Improve the profitability of the Retail Bank
  • Get help from other bankers on your most pressing retail banking issues
  • Receive recommendations on vendors and policy guidance
  • Help others and expand your own knowledge
  • Learn from the success and mistakes of others in your field
  • Get tips on building high performing cultures
  • Grow your team member engagement
  • Keep up with current events
  • Avoid regulatory surprises in bank exams
  • Build your bank’s service excellence commitment

How the Forum Works…

  • The Forum will meet three times a year.
  • Attendees are encouraged to submit topics of interest one to two weeks in advance of the Forum date.
  • The Forum agenda will be built around member submitted topics, as well as topics submitted by the facilitator and other Retail Forum groups which meet across the country.
  • Hot topics and/or current events directly affecting Retail Banking will begin each agenda.
  • Supplemental documents will be provided by the facilitator to enhance the discussion or for later reference.
  • Each attendee’s contact information and relevant details (bank assets size, number of branches, core systems) will be shared with the group to enhance networking.
  • There is no beginning date or end date to the Forums. New attendees can register and join any session.
  • The Facilitator and attendees will often walk away with action items to share best practices, policies and procedures, and other helpful tools with the group after the Forum.
  • An email group will be set up by the Facilitator to foster the exchange of information between Forums.
Fees

The following fees include three consecutive sessions to the forum and program materials.

IBA member - $999 per person

Participation in this IBA Forum is limited to IBA member financial institutions, and nonmembers financial institutions from an eligible membership category at applicable member or non-member rates

A surcharge of 100% will be applied for non-members.

location

IBA Center for Professional Development
8425 Woodfield Crossing Blvd, Suite 155E
Indianapolis, IN 46240

Association Contact

Laurie Rees, Vice President - Education & Training
Lrees@indiana.bank 
317-387-9380

Elizabeth DeHaven, Education Manager
Edehaven@indiana.bank
317-333-7169

Katie Yates, Education Coordinator
Kyates@indiana.bank
317-333-7162

Cancellation Policy

Due to our commitments, the price is inclusive of all three sessions. A full refund for the 3-session forum will be given for cancellations received prior to the first session.  Any registrant who does not cancel before the first session will be billed the full registration fee and send the materials. Substitutions are welcome at no additional charge. It is the registrants responsibility to find a substitute if unable to make a session.