When is the last time you did a thorough evaluation of BOLI as an asset? If your answer is on a scale of “I don’t know to ‘What’s BOLI?’” you need to listen to this podcast. We brought in Scott Richardson – longtime friend of Artisan and THE expert in all things BOLI - to tell you everything you need to know about this high-performing asset.

We’ve known Scott for a long time and his expertise in BOLI is unparalleled. He rose rapidly through the ranks in both the financial services and life insurance industries, where he amassed a wealth of expertise during the first half of his 30+ year career. He created solid relationships with bank regulatory agencies and was integral in the development of customized benefit plans and BOLI placements for hundreds of banks across the country. This unique background has equipped Scott with the capabilities of providing clients with sound wisdom in the design and legal aspects of compensation, non-qualified benefits, and both bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) and corporate-owned life insurance (COLI) plans.

The newest episode of Artisan Unfiltered is available! Listen now to “Barry Wides on OCC’s New Banking Risk Report: What Bankers Need to Know” to get an insider’s POV on where the banking industry is heading this year. Artisan’s newest Managing Director in our Risk Management practice, Barry joined us after 20 years as Deputy Controller for Community Affairs with the OCC, preceded by posts at FDIC, the Resolution Trust Corporation, and Freddie Mac. Barry’s insightful conversation with Jim Adkins and Jeff Voss is a must-listen.

Jim and Jeff Talk about Bravery and other Key Drivers of M&A in the newest episode of Artisan Unfiltered. When it comes to M&A in a noisy environment, Jim Adkins observed, "It's hard to balance the short-term against your long-term strategy and you might have to be brave sometimes to do that." Listen now.

The first Artisan Unfiltered episode of the year is now available. "2025 Outlook: Jim and Jeff Talk Economics, Interest Rates and Regulatory Events" takes a deep dive into the outlook for each so far this year and offers a few recommendations for what bankers can do now to prepare for what the rest of the year may bring.

Jeff Voss weighed in on possible rate cuts: "I think rate cuts are going to be data dependent. I think the one thing about the Fed is, relatively speaking, it's as independent as you can come and they're focused on analyzing the data, interpreting the data and making decisions."

Jim Adkins offered a few words of advice: "I do think that, in terms of enterprise risk management, you could - in your procedure and policies and how you model things out - you might want to model some changes into your risk management process."

Reach out to Jim or Jeff if you have questions or want to discuss any issues or challenges your financial institution is facing.

Listen in as Jim Adkins discusses the evolving role of the IT leader in a financial institution, with Wade Barnes, Managing Director, Financial and Professional Services at Hartman Executive Advisors. One key takeaway - if your IT leader doesn't have a seat at the strategic planning table, it's time to pull up a chair for them. Listen to the podcast for more useful insights on how to ensure your IT efforts are actively contributing to your business goals.

Listen as Jim Adkins, Jeff Voss and Dave Larson discuss a broad range of risk-related topics, including:

· The role that risk plays in managing a profitable bank

· A frank discussion of the average board member’s understanding of risk and what needs to change

· What the current mood on risk management is among regulators and how it can affect your exams

There’s something in it for everyone, so listen now.

TRUE. And absolutely essential.

“After personnel, your bank’s biggest cost is likely your core vendor contract. If it’s not working in service of your overall strategic plan, then it’s just not working.”

- Jim Adkins, Managing Partner, Artisan Advisors

In the latest episode of Artisan Unfiltered, “Core Vendor Technology and Your Strategic Plan,” our team of experts – Steve Heckard, Matt Bergman, Jim Adkins and Jeff Voss – dive deep into the complexities of negotiating the core processing vendor agreement that will drive your strategic plan.

You’ll get great advice on:

· Hidden landmines that may be lurking in your contracts

· What to look for in a vendor to know if it’s right for your bank

· What you should be doing right now to ensure a smooth renewal or conversion process Listen here and contact Steve or Matt to get a pulse on whether your current contract is setting your bank up for success.

You’ll also learn more about whether a Virtual RFP is right for your bank.

For smaller institutions, Artisan Advisors offers its vRFP – a comprehensive contract review process which is implemented virtually to minimize engagement fees and provides project management, industry knowledge and overall assistance with a competitive vendor review. We perform significant due diligence in reviewing existing contracts, invoices, bank strategies and objectives, and how the bank utilizes the services being received. We also use the vRFP to define bank requirements and collect vendor due diligence. Artisan manages the entire process, provides financial analysis of proposals, and negotiates contract terms, resulting in a contract that works for the bank and helps them achieve their strategic goals.

Get a reality check about the risk and liability associated with data security and listen now to the Artisan Unfiltered podcast, Cyber Security Risk and How to Manage It. Panelist and data security expert Chad Holstead notes that for banks of any size, “the hard part is management's ability to rally and champion a security culture.” What’s your bank’s security culture? Listen now.