Regional banks don’t often get compared to pop music, but maybe they should.

On the show today, First Financial Bank President and CEO Archie Brown explains why great banks survive turbulence by evolving with the times, just like great pop artists. He talks with Al and Steve about what credit risk actually looks like today and how midsize banks can hold their own against the industry’s giants. Plus, they explore the value of only focusing on what you can control. As Archie puts it: “There’s nothing else you can do.”

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in

Chapters:
[00:00] Intro – Welcoming Archie Brown
[00:54] Optimism, Adversity & “Better Days”
[02:00] Why High-Performing Banks Don’t Get Respect
[04:45] Credit Risk: The Market Gets It Wrong
[08:22] Competing With the Big Banks: Talent & Tech
[11:29] Tech Investment & AI: Moving Faster Than Goliath
[14:06] Knowing When to Double Down vs. Walk Away
[17:17] Pop Music, Banking & Evolving Without Losing Identity
[20:36] Leadership in a Digital-First World
[23:42] Closing Thoughts & What’s Next

Today on the show, Al and Steve reunite in the Arizona desert to unpack the themes they have been hearing at banking conferences and boardroom meetings nationwide. Two big standouts: the practical use cases of A.I. (yes, there are some) and the surge in M&A activity. Plus, they dig into the generational shift in banking where younger consumers play the field in which financial providers they use.

Chapters:
[00:00] Back in the Desert — Kicking Off Plugged In
[00:41] Coast to Coast: Travels and Boardroom Insights
[03:09] The AI Hype Curve — Entering the Trough of Disillusionment
[05:22] Real AI Wins: Chatbots, Fraud Detection & Efficiency Gains
[07:24] The CFO Reality Check — Why AI Might Cost More
[08:50] Finding Your Voice with ChatGPT
[10:16] The Next Generation of Banking: Gen Z & Liquidity Shifts
[12:54] Creating Capacity and Strengthening Franchise Value
[14:08] The M&A Wave: Big Brands, Big Bets, and Faster Deals
[18:15] Speed, Purpose, and the Future of Banking

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here:
https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in

Deal-making is heating up.

On the show today: Al and Steve sit down with Mike Maddox, CEO and president of the newly expanded $20B-asset Busey Bank, which merged with CrossFirst Bank earlier this year. They dig into scale, succession and strategy.

They also discuss what stablecoins mean for banking, Busey’s $14B wealth management platform and why Mike thinks that regional banks should act more like professional services firms to serve their markets best.

Chapters:

[00:00] Welcome & Ozzy-Inspired Kickoff

[00:41] Meet Mike Maddox: Regional Banking Veteran

[01:12] The State of Bank M&A: Scale and Strategy

[04:04] Solving for Succession: Leadership Transition

[06:13] Market Expansion: From Midwest Roots to Sunbelt Growth

[07:32] Preserving Regional Culture in a Growing Bank

[10:58] The $14 Billion Wealth Platform Advantage

[14:17] Banking Innovation: Tech, Payments & FirstTech

[18:50] Looking Ahead: Post-Merger Integration & Opportunity

[19:48] Wrap-Up: Culture, Metrics & Modern Banking Vision

Subscribe to the Plugged In podcast here:

https://www.crnrstone.com/gritty-insights/podcasts/plugged-in