After several years that “have not been particularly hospitable toward institutions like yours and mine,” ABA Chair John Asbury said the industry now has a significant opportunity to restore an appropriate regulatory framework for community banks. Kicking off the Monday morning program at ABA’s Conference for Community Bankers in Phoenix, Asbury—who is also CEO of Atlantic Union Bank in Richmond, Virginia—discussed ABA’s 2025 Blueprint for Growth and legislative and regulatory advocacy plan for the year ahead.
“What I find most troubling about the regulatory environment today is that it’s really working against banks’ efforts to drive the economy forward,” he said. “It’s forcing us to divert time, dollars and resources toward compliance with unnecessary and overly burdensome rules, when those things could be much better spent serving our customers.”
Asbury also discussed the importance of strengthening bank cultures that emphasize being both “great places to bank and great places to work.” Rising generations are seeking work that aligns with their values and helps them make a difference. “There’s really no better place to do that, in my opinion, than in community banking,” he said.
