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Community Bank Investments School

February 2-18, 2021 | 3-Week Virtual Program | 2.5 Hour Sessions, 2 Days/Week

How to Invest in a COVID & Post-Election Environment

The Community Bank Investments School has gone virtual for 2021! Expose your investments team to critical issues facing community banks after the 2020 election, including possible changes in regulation, taxes and economic conditions. Only one registration per institution required.

Overview

Given economic and political uncertainty, bank investment portfolios will likely be ‘misbehaving’ at least through the first six months of 2021. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell and his colleagues on the Board of Governors have signaled that interest rates will remain low for many years, possibly through 2023 and beyond. This ‘guidance’ differs sharply from that in 2010 following the financial crisis when government policymakers strongly suggested that rates would rise (possibly sharply) in the near term. What did you do with your balance sheet and investments in 2008-2010? Will you make the same mistakes today that you did then?

Curriculum

Key Takeaways

  • What Bloomberg screens should you be requesting from your broker?
  • A comprehensive due diligence checklist for each type of security
  • How to decide if you are conducting effective due diligence or if you are being ‘sold’ to by your broker
  • What is the ‘right’ duration for your bank’s portfolio?
  • How to handle excess liquidity post PPP

Key Discussions

  • What is your bank’s balance sheet going to look like in 3-5 years?
  • Have PPP loans biased your view of the bank’s loan portfolio toward thinking loan demand is stronger than it actually is?
  • In a declining loan environment, your bank will likely become more asset sensitive, that is, more at risk of a falling net interest margin as interest rates fall and remain low.
  • Why prepayments will rise with funds reinvested at lower rates.
  • If interest rates remain low for 3-5 years as Fed Chair Powell suggests:
    • Would you prefer mortgage-backed securities that prepay fast or slow?
    • Should you buy newer pools or more seasoned pools?
    • How important is a security’s duration?
    • Would you prefer bullet securities or shorter-term securities?
    • Should you modify your investment policy to permit the purchase of municipals with 15-year or 20-year maturities?
    • What are the current hot buttons with municipals?

Registration & Fees

This is an intermediate to advanced level school that is best suited for CEOs, presidents, CFOs, investment officers, controllers & cashiers and bank regulators. Institutions are encouraged to register their investments teams and may register an unlimited number of attendees for one price.

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Continuing Professional Education

Named registrants can also count hours of their Community Bank Investments School coursework toward Continuing Professional Education (CPE). GSBC is registered with the NASBA as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses.

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Faculty

Faculty members of this program are investments experts, a combination of seasoned bankers, academics, consultants and brokers who bring real-life examples, case studies and unique models of technical instruction to the classroom.

Jason Mork

Jason Mork

Milwaukee, WI

Chris Nelson

Bangor, ME

Blake Scharlach

Dallas, TX

Todd Wentz

Dallas, TX
Randy Woodward

Randy Woodward

Nashville, TN
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What People Are Saying

The program at the Community Bank Investments School deepened my knowledge of the benefits and risks of various investment strategies. Learning how to utilize information from Bloomberg screens has provided me with the skills to conduct more in-depth performance analysis on investment securities. Given the current economic environment we are experiencing, I found the impact of the program extremely beneficial.

The Community Bank Investments School provided me not only with a broader high-level perspective on my investment portfolio, but also education specific to analyzing and understanding each investment in my portfolio. I immediately put to work with our Investment Committee new procedures for pre-purchase analysis, and for ongoing monitoring of our portfolio. CBIS was an excellent experience!

I would recommend the GSBC Community Bank Investments School to anyone involved in their bank’s investment portfolio or funding/liquidity function. The expert teachers were full of knowledge and provided great materials to reference in the future. The regulator input was very valuable and I feel extremely fortunate to have attended this school.

Renate Deininger
Renate Deininger
Community Bank Investments School
2019 Attendee
Christie Obenauer
Christie Obenauer
Community Bank Investments School
2019 Attendee
Erin Guthman
Erin Guthman
Community Bank Investments School
2018 Attendee
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Are you ready to take the next step in advancing your career? Learn more about the Community Bank Investment School's admission requirements and get started on your application today!

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