Exciting news! NJBankers made it to Times Square this past week as we were recognized on the iconic Nasdaq Tower in celebration of our 122nd anniversary.
We share this honor with all our members across New Jersey who have a huge impact on the economic well-being of our state and are dedicated to strengthening our communities.
Since 1903, NJBankers has been at the forefront of advocacy for New Jersey banks and serves as the "Voice of the Garden State Banking Industry." We are looking forward to another 120+ years of serving the banking community as a trusted partner and outstanding resource!
Two Days: Two Successful Events
Last week, we held two events geared toward different segments of our state's banks.
On Wednesday, we held our Director's Summit, which is designed to help bank leaders gain a strategic edge and stay ahead of the curve.
Held in partnership with our Endorsed Provider FinPro, attendees gained insights from regulators from the FDIC, Philadelphia Fed and OCC in a panel led by FinPro's Jonathan Finley (above).
They also explored the new Time Series Liquidity with FinPro's Matthew Miller; learned new ways to innovate with AI from Bill Hobbs of the EY Financial Services Center for Board Matters, and uncovered strategies to align their CRA and Fair Lending programs from Ginger McCullough of Forvis Mazars.
Then on Thursday, we hosted our annual Emerging Leaders Network Conference, a sell-out event for the next generation of organization leadership. The event was emceed by ELN member Quin Ojageer of First Bank.
Margaux Howard of Valley Bank sat down with a panel of C-suite bankers consisting of George Boyan of Unity Bank, Gregory Garcia of First Commerce Bank, and Philip Vaz of Ion Bank, who gave advice and discussed their career journeys (below).
Dr. Linda Eagle of the Global Bankers Institute led two panels on communicating with confidence and executive presence, and building your personal brand. Then, a panel of Emerging Leaders shared their banks' journey with AI. Led by David Hudak of Vikar Technologies, the panel featured Nicole Economy of Peapack Private Bank & Trust, William Heaney of Kearny Bank, and David Vela of ConnectOne Bank. Plus, Chris Forst of RSM US spoke on stablecoin opportunities and challenges for banks.
Thank you to all our attendees and speakers at both conferences. Plus, a big thank you to FinPro and our ELN Underwriters for making events such as these possible.
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New Jersey Banker Receives Prestigious ABA Emerging Leader Award
Congratulations to Allison Winters, SVP, Director of Marketing and Client Experience at Columbia Bank on receiving the 2025 ABA Emerging Leader Award!
The award, presented by the American Bankers Association, identifies and recognizes the next generation of bank leaders who are committed to the highest standards of achievement and service to the industry and their communities.
Allison also has been an active NJBankers member as part of our Emerging Leaders Network, served as the Chair of the PR & Marketing Committee, and was a prior recipient of our Rising Star Award and Warren Hill Award.
NJBankers will be hosting our annual Rising Star Awards on November 13, honoring 23 bankers and business professionals who go above and beyond to serve their companies and communities. Learn more about this year's honorees and register to attend our Awards Dinnerhere.
NJBankers Brittany Wheeler Named One of NJ's Top Lobbyists
Brittany is a leading advocate for our state’s banks, providing legislative and regulatory guidance, serving as a liaison between member institutions and lawmakers, and much more. Brittany was also recently named one of the NJBiz 2025 Forty Under 40 Award Recipients.
NJBankers Seen on Social
October 7, 2025: NJBankers was proud to support the New Jersey Conference of Mayors at their recent Evening on the Bay Reception. The event brought together mayors, policymakers, and business partners for an evening of networking and collaboration. Here, NJBankers President & CEO Mike Affuso catches up with Chrissy Buteas of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey.
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Endorsed Provider Happenings An Endorsed Service Provider has an exclusive relationship with NJBankers for their products and services.
Listen to the Compliance Alliance Banking Matters Podcast episode "Regulation Hot Topics: A Compliance Alliance Panel Discussion" here.
Register for Abrigo's on-demand complimentary webinar series "Getting Started with AI in Banking" here.
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New Jersey Bankers Association, 411 North Avenue East, Cranford, NJ 07016, (908) 272-8500
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