Recession Nearing? Portfolio Strategies for the Year Ahead

What a difference a few months make. In October 2018, the 10-year Treasury rate hit 3.25% and many market participants anticipated two more Federal Reserve rate hikes. The Treasury yield curve was modestly upsloping with longer-term rates above short-term rates. In recent days, the 10-year rate has fallen as low as 2.4% and the yield curve has inverted to where the 10-year rate is slightly below the 3-month Treasury rate.

1st Quarter 2019 Fixed Income Portfolio Strategy Recommendation

Fed Chair Jay Powell said “there is not set path for interest rate policy” and the futures market shows almost no chance of a rate increase in 2019 (The highest odds of a hike currently show a 0.9% chance of a hike in the 3rd Quarter of 2019).  As Fed Chair Powell has repeatedly said, we…

Curriculum Enhancements Coming to 69th Annual School Session

The competitive landscape for community banks is constantly evolving. Following the 2018 school session, I formed a curriculum review committee to examine the student evaluations of the courses and faculty and to incorporate their diverse expertise to suggest changes. The objective was to ensure that the curriculum reflect the core topics, concepts, and analytical/leadership tools that community bankers need to understand to best lead their organizations and also to address key issues that community banks currently face.

The 2019 Gold Rush Referral Program is Here

Alumni and students are eligible to earn great rewards by encouraging colleagues to enroll in the following GSBC programs:

69th Annual School Session
Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers®
Community Bank Investments School

How to Participate:
Click here to register as a member and get your own unique referral link.
Share your referral link with prospective students by February 1, 2019 via email or social media to receive a $25 Lands’ End Store Apparel Gift Certificate.
If your referred candidate(s) complete the request information form on your unique link and enroll by February 15, 2019, you’ll receive a $200 cash reward for each one!

GSBC Awards Diplomas to 11 Graduates of Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers®

BOULDER, COLO. – The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) is pleased to announce that eleven individuals have recently graduated from the Executive Development Institute for Community Bankers® (EDI), a rigorous 19-month leadership development program for up-and-coming executive officers of community banks. The graduates are pictured left to right: Robby Harmon, TriStar Bank, Dickson,…

Cash Flow and Bond Gains

As the general consensus continues to suggest higher Treasury rates ahead, portfolio managers should remember the importance of cash flow and price stability. Predictably, unrealized losses expand as interest rates increase. Additionally, cash flow from securities with optionality tend to slow considerably, delaying the re-pricing of principal and aggravating losses.

GSBC Concludes 68th Annual School Session, Announces Class of 2018

The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) awarded diplomas to the 164-member class of 2018 at its annual graduation celebration July 26, at University of Colorado’s Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo.

Minnesota Banker, Alum to Lead GSBC in 2019

Andy Noll, president, First Farmers & Merchants National Bank, Fairmont, Minn., has been appointed chair of the Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) for 2019.

Noll’s career with First Farmers & Merchants National Bank spans 25 years. In addition to serving as president, he also serves as senior vice president of its holding company, 215 Holding Co., which operates offices in 15 communities across Southern Minnesota.

Kansas, Nebraska Bankers Elected to Board of Trustees

The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) has recently elected bankers to leadership roles for the Board of Trustees. Barry Lockard, president and chief executive officer, Cornhusker Bank, Lincoln, Nebraska and Lance White, president and chief executive officer Flint Hills Bank, Wamego, Kansas.

GSBC Update, Alumni Association Reception

The GSBC Alumni Association will host a reception during the upcoming Community Bankers Summit and 68th Annual School Session. Don’t miss an opportunity to mingle with your favorite GSBC faculty and fellow graduates over cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as you learn about how GSBC is preparing the future leaders of our industry! 4:00 pm |…

Federal Debt: An Accident Waiting to Happen

The U.S. is facing a federal debt crisis. With current and anticipated federal deficits over the coming years, the amount of outstanding federal debt held by the public is expected to rise sharply. Interest payments on this debt are similarly expected to rise given this higher debt load and the consensus that interest rates will generally rise in the near future.

GSBC to Honor Hoenig, 29th Scarboro Award Recipient

BOULDER, COLO. — The Graduate School of Banking at Colorado (GSBC) is pleased to announce Thomas M. Hoenig, immediate past vice chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and former president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, as the 29th recipient of the James C. Scarboro Award.