In her first address as chair of ABA, Cathy Owen, chair and CEO of State Holding Company and executive chair of Eagle Bank & Trust Company in Little Rock, Arkansas, outlined her priorities for the year ahead.
Acknowledging that the industry faces significant challenges from things like digital assets and artificial intelligence, Owen’s message was one of optimism. “What I’ve learned from my 50 years in this industry is that things are constantly evolving,” Owen said. “We’re going to figure out how to embrace these novel capabilities and technologies. But as we do, we need to protect our marketplace, and we need to protect our customers.”
“We need a tailored regulatory environment so we can grow thoughtfully and modernize,” Owen noted. “We need banks to have the tools they need to fight fraud and keep their customers safe. And we need a pipeline for talent into the banking industry to sustain us for years to come.” As bankers seek those policy changes, Owen emphasized the importance of banker engagement. “We have a powerful story to tell,” she said. “It’s essential that we tell it.”
