Striving to Help Community Banks Thrive with Kevin Shivers | S.R. Snodgrass Podcast Episode 25

In this episode of the S.R. Snodgrass Podcast, host Lenore Seifer sits down with Kevin Shivers, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers, for a timely conversation about the future of community banking, emerging financial technologies, and the policies shaping local economies. Kevin shares his journey from growing up in a community banking household to leading one of the state’s most influential banking advocacy organizations. Together, Lenore and Kevin discuss why community banks remain vital to small businesses, homeownership, agriculture, and local economic growth—and why current policy debates surrounding cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and payment systems matter more than ever. Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:15 Kevin Shivers’ Background and Early Banking Influence 02:34 Public Service, Entrepreneurship, and Banking Advocacy 04:00 Joining the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers 05:20 The Mission and Purpose of Community Banking 06:14 How Community Banks Support Local Communities 07:00 The Long History and Economic Impact of Community Banks 07:40 Advocacy, Legislation, and Creating a Level Playing Field 08:51 Challenges Facing Community Banks Today 09:38 Stablecoins, Cryptocurrency, and Payment System Changes 10:17 Why Community Bank Closures Impact Local Economies 10:33 The Importance of New Bank Formation (“De Novo” Banks) 12:12 Faster Payments, Fraud Concerns, and Consumer Risk 13:12 How Deposit Flight Could Affect Lending and Interest Rates 14:41 The Need for Guardrails and Smarter Regulation 15:23 Why Policy Decisions Today Will Shape the Future Economy 17:25 Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday Through Community Banking 18:05 Mutual Banks and Their Unique Role in Pennsylvania 19:04 PACB Convention and Supporting Community Banking 19:47 Final Resources and How to Learn More Throughout the episode, Kevin emphasizes that while financial innovation and change are inevitable, strong policy, thoughtful regulation, and local banking relationships remain essential to protecting the long-term health of communities and the American economy. 🎧 Be sure to follow S.R. Snodgrass on LinkedIn and subscribe to the podcast for more conversations with industry leaders and subject matter experts.