Jackie Stewart

Arlington

Executive Editor at Bank Director

Executive editor of American Banker Magazine. Lover of cats. Reader of bad fiction. Mom of three. Opinions are my own.

Articles

Magazine Exclusive: Finding Your Lane

2 weeks ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

*The following feature appears in the second quarter 2025 issue of Bank Director magazine. It and other stories are available to magazine subscribers and members of Bank Director’s Bank Services Program. Learn more about subscribing here. Robert Talerman considers himself among the lucky who get to live in Cape Cod year around. The region, which makes up the hook-shaped peninsula in Massachusetts, is beautiful for its miles of coastline, beaches and waterways.
2nd Quarter 2025

2 weeks ago | bankdirector.com | Naomi Snyder |John Engen |Emily McCormick |Jackie Stewart

From how-to articles, director training videos, key interviews with industry leaders and more, Bank Services provides bank executives and directors with the tools to help grow their financial institutions. To sign up for exclusive access to this online bank board resource, please contact Bank Services at 615-777-8461 or [email protected]. Magazine Subscribers please enter your email and password below. BANK SERVICES members please login .
Finding Your Lane

2 weeks ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

Bank M&A Bank M&A topics will include balance sheet considerations for both the acquiring and acquired financial institutions such as deposits, capital adequacy, credit quality and more. Information around regulatory preparations and concerns as well as credit risks will also be addressed. Explore
With DEI Under the Microscope, Some Banks Are Revising and Rebranding Their Programs

3 weeks ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

The banking industry is grappling with how to respond to recent moves by the Trump administration to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Last year, companies began to sour on DEI initiatives, and that pullback has accelerated since President Donald Trump took office in January and issued a series of executive orders targeting diversity efforts. “I think the pendulum is shifting the other way,” says Scott Yonker, a professor of finance in the business school at Cornell University.
The Skills and Attributes of an Effective Director

3 weeks ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

Building a diverse board starts with assembling a group of directors who collectively bring expertise from a range of different fields. For banks, this can mean having board members with backgrounds in areas such as finance and accounting, risk management, regulatory matters and technology. Finding personalities that work well together is also essential in creating an environment where asking questions is not only tolerated but encouraged.
Companies Brush Off Plans for Industrial Banks

1 month ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

The financial services sector is bracing for the potential of more companies being approved for industrial bank charters. In the United States, there is a strict separation of commerce and banking activities. Industrial loan companies, or ILCs, are one exception to this. This type of charter allows a commercial company to own a bank whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Currently, there are three applications pending, all from car manufacturers, for an ILC charter.
Chaos Consumes CFPB, Causing Uncertainty

2 months ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is going through a tumultuous period, and that’s left banks wondering what to expect from the agency. Earlier this month, Russell Vought, the agency’s second acting director since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, shut down the CFPB’s offices and told employees to stop their work immediately. He also announced he would decline the agency’s latest round of funding from the Federal Reserve.
Banks Anticipate Smoother Sailing for Consolidation

2 months ago | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

Under President Donald Trump’s second term, the banking industry is anticipating a more friendly regulatory environment for getting deals approved. This expectation follows policies under the previous administration that actively discouraged consolidation. In July 2021, then-President Joe Biden issued an executive order that aimed to address concentration and monopolization. This led to increased scrutiny of deals across different industries.
Nasdaq Ruling Serves a Blow to the Diversity Movement

Jan 17, 2025 | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

The push to make boards more diverse recently took a hit. In December, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit overturned Nasdaq’s board diversity requirements. The stock exchange had implemented a rule requiring Nasdaq-listed companies with more than five board members to have one female director and one director who identified as an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority or as LGBTQ. The information had to be disclosed annually using a diversity matrix.
Tax Cuts To Take Center Stage

Nov 28, 2024 | bankdirector.com | Jackie Stewart

Taxes are expected to dominate the initial agenda of the incoming presidential administration and the new Congress. And it’s a topic that appeals to bank directors, too. Under President-elect Donald Trump’s prior administration, Congress passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. That bill significantly overhauled the tax code, including permanently cutting the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%. However, Congress also enacted other changes that are set to expire at the end of 2025.