REGISTER

|

AGENDA

|

SPEAKERS

|

SPONSORS

	Early Rates	After Feb.7
Member	$365	$400
Non-Member	$730	$800
ABA Members - Group of Six	$1,990	$1,990
For group reservations, please call (501) 376-3741

Registration fees include admission to the conference, breakfast, and lunch. 

Click to View Event Brochure

Inclement Weather Policy

Cancellations due to inclement weather are refundable. If you have questions concerning the status of an ABA program due to inclement weather, please call (501) 376-3741 or visit www.arkbankers.org for further information.

 

This event will be held at the Clinton Presidential Center. Should you need a hotel room reservation, a Local Negotiated Rate (LNR) has been reserved for your convenience at the following hotel(s). The LNR is based on hotel availability, and you are responsible for all room charges plus tax and parking.

Hotel Information

 

Downtown Marriott Little Rock   

(501) 906-4000

Corporate Rate: $169 and up

Corp/Promo Code: A5698

Reserve your room by clicking here

 

 

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown    

(501) 244-0044

Group Rate: $148

Corporate Code: 3197385

Reserve your room by clicking here

 

 

 

Back to top

Thursday, March 7

8:15 - 9:00 A.M.	Breakfast & Registration
9:00 A.M.	Welcome Lorrie P. Trogden, President & CEO Arkansas Bankers Association, Little Rock Latrecia Carroll, SVP/Operations Manager, Stone Bank 2023-2024 Emerging Leaders Section President
9:15 - 10:00 A.M.	The U.S. Economic and Political Landscape in 2024 Jessica Kearney Vice President, Public Policy Initiatives Travelers Institute Jessica Kearney will share an economic, public policy and political update in this data-driven presentation. Take a flyover of the U.S. economy and drill down on key indicators such as inflation, the labor market and more. What do they signal for businesses and consumers in 2024? Then, drawing on historical election trends and present-day insights, she will share data and analytics related to the 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections. Get a state of play on where the races stand and what to look for on the road to ballot box in November. Lastly, as part of Travelers’ public policy division, Jessica will preview the Institute’s latest initiatives.
10:00 - 11:00 A.M.	10 Myths Debunked: How to Inspire, Empower and Get Things Done Amber Farley Partner/EVP of Brand Development Financial Marketing Solutions (FMS) Increasingly, women are filling—and excelling at—leadership roles in the banking industry, contributing unique perspectives and leadership styles, as well as positively influencing the industry and the communities they serve. Amber Farley gives us an insightful presentation on women in leadership, addressing topics such as what leadership looks likes today, how to strengthen leadership skills, some of the barriers to female leadership she's overcome, the differences between her style of leadership to that of other male leaders at FMS, and ways to empower and inspire your team. Amber’s observations are gleaned from many years of being a consultant, speaker, and teacher in the banking industry, working alongside other strong bank leaders across the country.
11:00 - 11:15 A.M.	Networking Break
11:15 - 12:30 P.M.	Advocating for Yourself Adrienne L. Baker, Wright Lindsey Jennings Matuschka Lindo Briggs, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Esperanza Massana Crane, Arkansas Economic Development Commission Advocate for yourself by using positive negotiation skills! Across the business world and in numerous industries, there are many accomplished, talented, professional women. Banking is no exception – whether you’re a new manager, a seasoned professional, or an executive, your talents contribute to the success of your financial institution. Many times, during our career, we will negotiate for either ourselves or our company. Whether you are advocating for a promotion, compensation or a job change, strong negotiation skills make the difference. Positive negotiation skills lead to greater confidence and success in our personal and professional lives. During this interactive session, we will hear from professional women who have successfully negotiated a variety of situations and learn from their successes and challenges.
12:30 - 1:30 P.M.	Lunch
1:30 - 1:45 P.M.	Presentation of the Power Woman in Banking Award The ABA Power Woman in Banking Award celebrates a woman in banking who has made positive and substantial contributions to her industry, is active in the community, and goes the extra mile to promote and inspire women to reach their full potential.
1:45 - 2:45 P.M.	Suit Yourself: A Work Wardrobe that Works for You Ali Miller CEO The Ethical Aesthete Does your work wardrobe tell your story and serve your professional goals? Is dressing for an important meeting a breeze? Do you feel confident and successful in your clothes? Join us for a fun, interactive session about building a work wardrobe that works for you. Learn tricks to curate a visual identity that honors who you are and is an asset to your career. Bond with your peers while you discover transformational fashion hacks to help you manage your closet like an investment portfolio…making wiser decisions with longer-term gains that pay off in dividends. Research suggests first impressions happen in just seconds and that women are judged by their appearance disproportionately in professional settings. Knowledge, intentionality, and a little solidarity can help us navigate these realities from a place of empowerment.
2:45 - 3:00 P.M.	Networking Break
3:00 - 4:00 P.M.	Trends in Arkansas Banking Susannah Marshall Commissioner, Arkansas State Bank Department Join us for an update on financial performance and industry-related issues for the year ahead from our state’s bank commissioner.

Back to top

Keynote Speakers

Amber Farley, Partner & EVP of Brand Development at FMS, is a well-known and respected teacher, presenter, consultant and thought leader on bank branding, marketing, leadership, and digital marketing strategies for banks around the country. She strategizes ways to help banks be purpose-driven, inspirational and more relevant to today’s customer—including both internal and external customers, and regularly presents and teaches at national banking schools, banking conferences, and other statewide banking institutions.

Ali Miller is a professional stylist and the CEO of The Ethical Aesthete. She draws on decades of experience as a trainer, creative, and community engagement executive to help women discover and embrace their personal style while building community with each other. Ali has been thinking about fashion and social impact way before it was ‘cool.’ Today, she helps clients across the country curate high-quality wardrobes that bring ease and joy to their days, without compromising their goals or values. She loves board games and knows most of the two-letter words in Scrabble. Find her at www.ethicalaesthete.com

Jessica Kearney, Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers, will share an economic, public policy and political update in this data-driven presentation. Take a flyover of the U.S. economy and drill down on key indicators such as inflation, the labor market and more. What do they signal for businesses and consumers in 2024? Then, drawing on historical election trends and present day insights, Jessica will share data and analytics related to the 2024 Presidential and Congressional elections. Get a state of play on where the races stand and what to look for on the road to ballot box in November. Lastly, as part of Travelers’ public policy division, Jessica will preview the Institute’s latest initiatives.

Featured Speaker

Susannah Marshall was appointed by Governor Asa Hutchinson to be the 22nd Commissioner of the Arkansas State Bank Department. Ms. Marshall’s appointment began October 1, 2020. On June 30, 2023, Governor Sanders reappointed Ms. Marshall to a four-year term as Bank Commissioner. On August 11, 2023, Governor Sanders appointed Ms. Marshall to additionally serve as Arkansas Securities Commissioner. Ms. Marshall will serve as the 19th Arkansas Securities Commissioner.

Ms. Marshall has served the department since 1995. She began her Bank Department career as a Commercial Bank Examiner in 1995, and in 2003 was promoted to Financial Analyst. In 2005, Ms. Marshall was promoted to Financial Analyst Supervisor, a position she held until her appointment as Deputy Bank Commissioner in 2007. Ms. Marshall served as Deputy Bank Commissioner for 13 years until her appointment to Bank Commissioner in 2020.

As Bank Commissioner, Ms. Marshall is responsible for the regulation, supervision and examination of Arkansas state-chartered banks, bank holding companies, a trust company and Arkansas Capital Corporation. As of June 30, 2023, the agency supervised 73 state-chartered commercial banks with total assets over $155 billion.

As Securities Commissioner, Ms. Marshall is responsible for oversight of the securities industry, non-depository mortgage lending industry, money services industry, state-chartered credit union industry, and state-chartered savings and loan industry in Arkansas. The Securities Commissioner manages agency operations to ensure the Department carries out its core mission of protecting the well-being of Arkansas citizens through effective investor education and the administration and enforcement of the various statutory Acts under its jurisdiction.

Commissioner Marshall is a trustee on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Teachers Retirement System, a member of the State Board of Finance and a member of the Arkansas Financial Education Commission. Ms. Marshall also serves on the Board of Directors for the Conference of State Bank Supervisors and on various committees within the organization, including Chairman of the Education Foundation Board of Trustees.

On April 1, 2023, Ms. Marshall was re-appointed by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors to serve on the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council’s State Liaison Committee. The two-year appointment will run through March 31, 2025.

In 2011, Ms. Marshall was recognized by Arkansas Business as one of the 40 under 40 Honorees and earlier this year was named as one of the 100 Women of Impact in 2023 by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and Soiree magazine.

Ms. Marshall earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Arkansas in 1994 and is a 2002 graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking, Dallas, Texas. During her tenure with the Bank Department, Ms. Marshall obtained the designations of Commissioned Senior Examiner and Certified Examination Manager.

Panel

Adrienne Baker’s practice centers on commercial litigation, including banking and commercial lending, creditors’ rights and collections, contract disputes and surety law. She also regularly provides contract drafting and review services to a variety of businesses. Adrienne is the former Chief Operating Officer for Wright Lindsey Jennings. In 2020, 2019 and 2018, Baker was named as one of the Arkansas 250 most influential business leaders by Arkansas Business. In 2014, she was recognized as one of twenty-seven “Women to Watch” by Soiree.

Matuschka Lindo Briggs is senior vice president and regional executive of the Little Rock Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In this role, she supports the Bank’s mission of promoting a healthy economy, financial stability and community development by building durable, two-way relationships with business and community leaders across the state of Arkansas to help the St. Louis Fed gain a real-time, on-the-ground understanding of economic conditions on all corners of Main Street.

Throughout her career with the St. Louis Fed, Ms. Lindo Briggs has held key roles in Community Development, Public Affairs and as part of the Bank’s team that supports the fiscal agent responsibilities for the U.S. Treasury. She is a champion of strategies, programs and initiatives that advance economic equity, financial capability and community development. An accomplished communicator, negotiator and influencer, Ms. Lindo Briggs builds cross-functional collaborations and partnerships to advance change.

Prior to the Fed, Ms. Lindo Briggs was a general assignment, health and political reporter, and TV/radio host with NBC and ESPN affiliates. She also served as a national moderator and political campaign press secretary.

Ms. Lindo Briggs holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from William Woods University. She is active in the community and has played a key role on numerous nonprofit boards, currently serving on the Mercy Health Hospital East Communities Board, Mercy Hospital Patient Experience Board and Economics Arkansas Board. She is a graduate of Leadership Arkansas Class XVII and is a member of the Little Rock Rotary Club 99. She is a voting member of the Screen Actors Guild and an avid traveler. Ms. Lindo Briggs and her husband enjoy fishing and visiting their adult children.

Esperanza Massana Crane is the Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Development Division for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

Massana Crane began her career at AEDC in 2013 as a project manager on the Business Development team before being named Director of Marketing in 2016. She served as the director of the Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Division from 2021 to 2023.

She currently serves on the boards of the Central Arkansas Library System, the Little Rock Sister Cities Commission and the UALR College of Business Advisory Council. In 2022, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas selected her as its Woman of the Year in Business for its Power of the Purse Awards. Massana Crane is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Little Rock Class XXX and a graduate of Leadership Arkansas Class XII.

Originally from El Salvador, Massana Crane earned her bachelor’s degree and MBA degree from Harding University. She speaks fluent Spanish and German, as well as intermediate French. She lives in Little Rock with her husband Christopher and son Sebastián.

Back to top

Back to top