As the banking industry’s premier M&A event for CEOs, senior management and board members, Bank Director’s annual Acquire or Be Acquired Conference brings together key leaders from across the country to explore merger & acquisition strategies and financial growth opportunities.

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Welcoming Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by:  Piper Jaffray & Co.

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast + Registration
Sponsored by:
 Austin Associates, LLC and Stinson Leonard Street LLP

8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Al Dominick,
President & CEO, Bank Director
To open this year’s 22nd annual Acquire or Be Acquired, we welcome banks that are looking to buy, those considering a sale – and those financial institutions that might best be described as “hold & grow.”

8:15 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.
Key Trends & Topics in 2016
Thomas B. Michaud
, President & CEO, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company
This session kicks off the conference by taking a look at “what’s now and what’s next” for attendees by identifying the key trends and questions a bank’s CEO, executive team and board need to prepare for in 2016.

9:05 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.
Refreshment Break 
Sponsored by:  
Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP 

9:25 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.
M&A Specific Workshops (select one)
The need and desire to grow exists at virtually every institution, and during these morning workshops, Bank Director offers three sessions for attendees that provide financial, consultative and legal perspectives specific to M&A issues.

Workshop I:  Is Bigger Now Better?
Robert C. Azarow
, Partner, Arnold & Porter LLP
Steven D. Hovde
, President & CEO, Hovde Group, LLC
Paul Schaus, President & CEO, CCG Catalyst Consulting Group
Scale and size have become increasingly more significant drivers of bank profitability, and this session looks at how to expand one’s business as big banks divest branches and exit myriad lines of business.

Workshop II:  Case Studies to Enhance a Community Bank’s Value
Adam Maier
, Partner, Stinson Leonard Street LLP
Craig J. Mancinotti, Managing Director & Principal, Austin Associates, LLC
Richard F. Maroney, Jr., Managing Director & Principal, Austin Associates, LLC
C. Robert Monroe, Partner, Stinson Leonard Street LLP
This session will provide financial and legal fundamentals of community banks through a series of case studies.  M&A advisors illustrate relevant buy-side analysis, key financial terms and sell-side strategies to enhance a bank’s value

Workshop III:  The Anatomy of a Successful Deal
Gregory J. Lyons,
Co-Chair, Financial Institutions Group, Debevoise & Plimpton LLP
Mark R. McCollom, Senior Managing Director and Co-Chair, Financial Institutions Group, Griffin Financial Group LLC
Richard L. Quad, Senior Managing Director and Co-Chair, Financial Institutions Group, Griffin Financial Group LLC
This workshop is ideal for CEOs and board members who have never bought or sold a bank. Take a walk from start to finish through a merger to see how to complete a deal.

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11:10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Bank Director’s Annual L. William Seidman CEO Panel
Thomas A. Broughton, III, President & CEO, ServisFirst Bank
Melanie J. Dressel, President & CEO, Columbia Banking System, Inc. and Columbia Bank
Kevin J. Lynch, Chairman, President & CEO, Oritani Financial Corporation
Moderated by:  Al Dominick, President & CEO, Bank Director
Former FDIC chairman and Bank Director’s publisher, the late L. William Seidman, was a huge advocate of a strong and healthy community bank system.  This annual feature of Acquire or Be Acquired brings together CEOs from various sized institutions to share how they are taking on non-bank competitors, incorporating emerging technologies and getting their culture and people right!

12:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Lunch
Sponsored by: 
Covington & Burling LLP and Griffin Financial Group LLC

1:15 p.m. – 2:05 p.m.
What Is A Bank Worth In Today’s Market and Why?
Curtis Carpenter,
Principal & Head of Investment Banking, Sheshunoff & Co. Investment Banking
This session on valuing one’s bank provides a look at how the market has changed, major value drivers, transaction trends and where banks in attendance fit into the mix.

2:05 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.
When Is It Time To Sell?
Salvatore Inserra, Partner, Crowe Horwath LLP
Mark C. Kanaly,
Partner, Alston & Bird LLP
For most boards, knowing when it is time to sell is the 800-lb elephant in the room.  While much has been made about the impetus for an acquiring institution to do a deal, this session looks at how banks and its board decided it was the right time to sell.

2:55 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.
Refreshment Break 
Sponsored by:  
Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P. 

3:15 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.
Breakout Sessions:  Pre-Deal Considerations (select one)
Building on the morning’s general session presentations, four breakout session options are offered to participants – each of which examines pre-deal considerations.

Breakout I:  Preparing Your Bank For A Successful Merger Transaction
John J. Gorman, Partner, Luse Gorman, PC
Eric Luse, Partner, Luse Gorman, PC
This session will discuss the advance planning steps that should be taken to avoid surprises, manage expectations and maximize value. These steps include: (1) getting your compensation and benefits in order; (2) assessing the impact of a merger on vendor and third party contracts; (3) preparing for due diligence; (4) understanding and reducing your regulatory and deal execution risks; (5) utilizing the best process for maximizing value; (6) managing employee, officer, board and counterparty expectations; and (7) crafting a merger agreement that leads to a successful transaction.

Breakout II:  Doom Diligence:  Five Critical Mistakes to Avoid
Jonathan Hightower,
Partner, Bryan Cave LLP
James J. McAlpin, Jr., Partner, Bryan Cave LLP
Walter G. Moeling, Senior Counsel, Bryan Cave LLP
In this pre-merger, due diligence-focused breakout session, we look at the five worst mistakes that acquirers make — so you don’t have to.

Breakout III:  The New M&A Mandate:  How Better Core & IT Agreements Benefit Shareholders In Any Deal
Marty Caywood, SVP & Director of IT, HomeTrust Bank
Aaron M. Silva, President, Paladin fs, LLC 
For buyers and the surviving institutions, a core & IT services agreement intelligently negotiated before the acquisition can mean tremendous savings in integration costs, reduced separation expense and far better per–transaction pricing for data processing services as the entity begins to grow—significantly improving the accretive value of any deal.  In this session, the speakers will detail specific steps, tactics and strategies banks can follow to implement a more profitable and merger-friendly agreement today.  In–depth examples based on real-world learnings by HomeTrust Bank after completing 5 mergers since 2009 will be reviewed.

Breakout IV:  M&A Strategies for Private Banks
Scott Martorana, Senior Managing Director, FinPro Capital Advisors, Inc.
Donald Musso, President, FinPro Capital Advisors, Inc.
This session explores how private banks, without a stock to use as a currency, can get deals done.

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4:20 p.m. – 5:10 p.m.
Is Patience a Virtue?
Gary Bronstein, Partner, Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP
Steven D. Hovde, President & CEO, Hovde Group, LLC
Charles W. Sulerzyski, President & CEO, Peoples Bancorp Inc. and Peoples Bank, N.A.
Walking away from a deal in favor of a bigger one down the road takes both courage and conviction.  As we wrap up our first day at Acquire or Be Acquired, we look at when it makes sense to grow through non-M&A avenues – and how to do so.

5:10 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.
Day One Closing Remarks
Al Dominick,
President & CEO, Bank Director

5:15 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Networking Peer & Guest Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by:  Boardvantage

6:45 a.m – 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast & Registration
Sponsored by: Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m
Discussion Groups (select one)
This morning’s discussion groups afford attendees the chance to interact with peers and an industry advisor around a shared topic of interest.  Six discussion groups will run concurrently, so attendees select one they would like to attend.  

Discussion Group I:  Capital Offerings – Public vs. Private?  Key Considerations for Bank Executives
Lowell W. Harrison, Partner, Fenimore, Kay, Harrison & Ford, LLP
Raising capital in the public and private markets is a complicated and expensive process, and there are pros and cons to both.  This discussion group will explore the various alternatives to raising capital privately or in a public offering.  Topics for discussion include:  IPOs, private placements, private equity and other creative solutions to raising capital in today’s environment.

Discussion Group II:  How Banks Should Make the Decision to Sell or Buy
Peter G. Weinstock, Partner, Hunton & Williams LLP
Decisions made event before bankers engage with the other side foretell the likelihood for success.  This session will discuss how to play the negotiating game in the most effective manner for both sellers and buyers.  We will also examine the role of the directors in the process.

Discussion Group III:  What Do Investors Want?  Making Decisions and Evaluating Strategies for Growth with Different Stakeholders in Mind
Margaret Chou, Assistant Vice President, OTC Markets Group Inc.
Understanding and managing investor expectations can help banks make decisions that better maximize returns.  This session will discuss best practices for communicating and targeting shareholders and addressing concerns of institutions, retail, hostile and varying types of investors.  We will look at how different strategies for deploying capital can create value for shareholders, such as stock dividends and buybacks versus organic growth acquisitions.

Discussion Group IV:  Pre-Merger Executive Compensation Planning
Douglas P. Faucette, Partner, Locke Lord LLP
This session will discuss recent regulatory developments affecting executive compensation planning under ERISA, banking, IRS and SEC rules.  We will explore different strategies to enhance executive compensation so as to maximize benefits of merging executives to be consistent with shareholder interest and minimize applicable taxation under the parachute provisions of the IRC.  Examples of recent compensation agreements that meet current requirements and avoid common pitfalls will be shared.

Discussion Group V:  Evaluating Currency When Structuring Transactions – Buyer and Seller Considerations Explored
Jay Brogdon, Vice President, Stephens, Inc.
Jim Hemmer, Managing Director, Financial Services, Stephens Inc.
Jeff Jones, Managing Director, Financial Services, Stephens Inc.
Robert E. Ulrey, Managing Director, Financial Services, Stephens Inc.
This session will discuss considerations that sellers and buyers need to address when evaluating and structuring transactions involving publicly traded shares.  Key topics will include relative currency valuation and performance, sellers’ need to think like buyers and having an advisor who know the potential acquirers well.

Discussion Group VI:  Insuring Your M&A Transaction
Mike Keeley, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Jay J. Rittberg, Senior Vice President and Americas M&A Manager, AIG
This session will discuss how to insure an M&A transaction and provide an overview of representation and warranty insurance.

8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.
Welcoming & Opening Remarks
Al Dominick, President & CEO, Bank Director
Jack Milligan, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director magazine
As we welcome attendees to day two of the conference, we poll the audience on a number of topics that provide context for subsequent presentations.

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8:10 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
When Things Go Sideways – Managing Deal Crises
Scott R. Anderson, Managing Director, Co-Head of Depositories Investment Banking, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company
Joseph S. Berry, Jr., Managing Director, Co-Head of Depositories Investment Banking, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company
Scott M. Custer, CEO, Yadkin Bank and Yadkin Financial Corporation
Jim Ryan, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Old National Bancorp
W. Kirk Wycoff, Founder & Managing Partner, Patriot Financial Partners, L.P.
Not all deals are a success.  Bad diligence… Bad integration… Bad outcomes.  To open the day, Bank Director asks several CEOs of community banks to share their “lessons learned” when their best laid plans did not work out.

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.
Refreshment Break
Sponsored by:
 Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP

9:10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
M&A Simulation I
Michael F. Barry,
Managing Director, Financial Institutions Group, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Robert P. Hutchinson, Co-Head of Financial Institutions Group, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Steven P. Kent, Managing Director & Vice Chairman, Financial Institutions Group/Investment Banking, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Stephen M. Klein, Partner, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP
Faye F. Ricci, Senior Counsel, Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP
Negotiated sale processes have emerged as a popular alternative to full auctions in today’s M&A market.  To complete a successful negotiated transaction, buyers and sellers must bridge the gap between a number of financial, legal, accountng and social challenges.  In this session, work side-by-side with industry experts to learn the nuances of the negotiated transaction process and participate in a simulated negotiation of deal points.  The M&A Simulation is exclusive to bank attendees only and limited to 42 participants.

9:20 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.
Breakout Sessions:  Current Issues (select one)
In addition to the M&A Simulation listed above, four breakout sessions are conducted concurrently, allowing attendees to attend the session of their choice.  Current Issue presentations highlight hot topics that officers and directors need to know about in order to strategically align themselves to buy – or to sell.  

Breakout I:  Integrating Credit Cultures & Other Social Issues Associated With Mergers
Rory A. McKinney, Managing Director, Co-Head of Investment Banking, D.A. Davidson & Co.
Steve Nelson, Managing Director, Investment Banking, D.A. Davidson & Co.
David H. Ruffin, Co-Founder, Managing Partner & Member, Credit Risk Management, L.L.C.
Bank CEOs and their boards must be more forward looking and quantitatively sophisticated when it comes to credit risk management – and this breakout session looks at how banks have successfully integrated credit cultures while addressing social issues that present integration challenges to the unprepared.

Breakout II:  What You & Your Board Need to Know for 2016
John E. Freechack, Chairman, Financial Institutions Group, Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP
Allen G. Laufenberg, Managing Director, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company
This breakout continues the “Need to Know” series that has been a popular highlight at this conference for the past few years.  Gain practical insight on what CEOs and directors will need to know to succeed in 2016 and beyond. 

Breakout III:  Valuing a Trust Franchise
Matthew R. Crow, President, Mercer Capital
Brooks K. Hamner, Vice President, Mercer Capital
For many banks, trust departments have ceased to simply be an added service and are expected to stand on their own.  Trust franchises can add value to banks, but how much?  This session will focus on what drives value in trust franchises, and how to build trust and wealth management operations to enhance the value of a bank. 

Breakout IV:  How Capital Drives M&A
Michael T. Rave, Partner, Day Pitney LLP
Matt Veneri, Managing Principal, Co-Head of Investment Banking, FIG Partners, LLC
Banks with excess capital want to do deals to put their money to work, while capital restrained banks are largely shut out.  This session takes a look at how capital impacts the M&A process.

10:25 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
Shareholder Activism – Be Prepared When It Happens
Frank M. (Rusty) Conner III, Covington & Burling LLP
John C. Dugan, Partner, Covington & Burling LLP
William F. Hickey, Principal, Co-Head, Investment Banking, Sandler O’Neill + Partners, L.P.
With more buyers freed from regulatory constraints and investors seeking higher returns, shareholder activist activity is on the rise.  This session highlights tactics for boards when activists come knocking. 

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11:15 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.
Getting From Transaction to Completion
Luigi L. De Ghenghi, Partner, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP
Carolyn J. Greathouse, Principal and National Lead, Enterprise-wide Compliance and Consumer Protection, KPMG LLP
C.K. Lee, Managing Director, Commerce Street Capital, LLC
Regulators are scrutinizing both buyers and sellers for any regulatory compliance issues.  Just a few years ago, it wasn’t a big deal if a seller had some compliance problems, as it was assumed the buyer would take care of them.  Today, this is not the case.  This session looks at how potential sellers can make themselves more attractive – both from a regulatory standpoint and also to potential buyers.

12:05 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.
What Your Peers Think
Rick Childs,
Partner, Crowe Horwath LLP
Mika Moser, Chief Operating Officer, Bank Director
At the midway point of the Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, we pause for a 15-minute interactive session that benchmarks the entire audience’s feelings on building franchise value through acquisition.

12:20 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Networking Peer & Guest Lunch 
Sponsored by:  
Luse Gorman, PC and Mercer Capital

1:30 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
Keynote Presentation
J. Michael Shepherd, Chairman & CEO, Bank of the West and BancWest Corporation

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2:20 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.
The Impact of Technology on Today’s Market
Flynt Gallagher, President, Compensation Advisors
Brian S. Korn, Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Arkadi Kuhlmann, Founder & CEO, ZenBanx
Moderated by:  Al Dominick, President & CEO, Bank Director
The banking industry continues to evolve as new technology players emerge in our market place.  As unregulated competition heats up, bank CEOs and their leadership teams need to seek ways to not just stay relevant but grow their business to stay competitive.  With real challenges being posed by non-traditional participants, this session looks at the impact technology has on both the industry and future M&A activity.  

3:10 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Refreshment Break
Sponsored by:
 Day Pitney LLP

3:20 p.m. – 5:40 p.m.
M&A Simulation II
Michael F. Barry,
Managing Director, Financial Institutions Group, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Robert P. Hutchinson, Co-Head of Financial Institutions Group, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Steven P. Kent, Managing Director & Vice Chairman, Financial Institutions Group/Investment Banking, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Adam S. Kirshenbaum, Partner, Baird Holm LLP
Jonathan J. Wegner, Partner, Baird Holm LLP
John S. Zeilinger, Of Counsel, Baird Holm LLP
A second opportunity for you to attend!  This session replicates the M&A Simulation held earlier today and is limited exclusively to 42 bank attendees.

3:30 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.
Breakout Sessions:  Integration Issues (select one)
Four breakout sessions focusing on integration issues will be offered, and these sessions will run concurrently to the second M&A Simulation listed above.

Breakout I:  The Wins and Losses of Acquisitions and Acquisition Integration
Christopher C. Frieden, Partner, Alston & Bird LLP
Robert C. Oliver, Chairman & CEO, Hamilton State Bancshares and Hamilton State Bank
This session features a discussion of what has gone well, and less than well, in connection with recent acquisitions with a particular focus on post-closing integration issues and management transitions.

Breakout II:  The Power of Compensation in Your Transaction Strategy
Ed Steinhoff, Managing Director, Pearl Meyer
Mark E. Tryniski, President & CEO, Community Bank System, Inc.
Compensation programs are a powerful driver that either support or undermine your transaction strategy. Whether your bank is acquiring or positioning for sale, learn about common pitfalls and strategies that work to propel your bank toward its transactional goals.

Breakout III:  Making the Technology Work
Terence Roche, Principal, Cornerstone Advisors, Inc.
From core processing to mobile offerings, integrating two disparate systems into one robust operating environment requires a frank assessment of where the business is today and the direction a combined entity might pursue. 

Breakout IV:  Understanding the Capital Adequacy and Risk Reward Implications of Your Acquisition
Kamal Mustafa, Chairman & CEO, Invictus Consulting Group, LLC
Critical regulatory capital adequacy and risk reward implications of an acquisition are not covered through traditional analytics.  Directors must be aware of these issues, which have become common problems in the post-recession world, because they will have a major impact on their future decision-making.  This breakout session highlights the questions directors should be asking post-acquisition to truly understand the new entity as it moves forward.

4:35 p.m. – 5:25 p.m.
Do You Agree With the Following Statement?
Douglas P. Faucette,
Partner, Locke Lord LLP
Ronald H. Janis, Partner, Day Pitney LLP
Michael T. Mayes, Managing Director, Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
David D. Olson, Managing Director and Co-Head of Financial Institutions Group, Piper Jaffray & Co.
Moderated by: Al Dominick, President & CEO, Bank Director
To wrap up the day, top investment bankers square off against leading attorneys in a point/counterpoint debate.  With statements derived from the first two days of presentations, Bank Director asks the audience to agree or disagree with a number of statements using an automated response system so you know where you stand relative to your peers.

5:25 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Al Dominick,
President & CEO, Bank Director 

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Networking Peer & Guest Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by: 
Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company

7:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast
Sponsored by:  
Sheshunoff & Co. Investment Banking 

7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
Discussion Groups (select one)
This morning’s discussion groups allow attendees to interact with peers and an industry advisor around a shared topic of interest.

Discussion Group I:  Partnering with Marketplace Lenders: Opportunities for Community Banks
Peter A. Cappello, Jr., SVP/Chief Risk Officer/Director of Insurance Services, Kearney Bank
Brian Graham, CEO, Alliance Partners
This discussion group will examine ways the community banks can work with the ever-expanding group of online lenders, focusing on consumer finance as a case study.

Discussion Group II:  Employment and Compensation Matters in Today’s M&A Environment
Robert N. Flowers, Partner, Hunton & Williams LLP
Brian R. Marek, Partner, Hunton & Williams LLP
In today’s consolidation environment, employment and compensation planning can be an important consideration for both buyers and sellers and event for those institutions who intend to “stand pat.”  Topics to be discussed include employee retention and the “compensation stack” in the face of a transaction, whether an acquisition or sale, noncompetition and nonsolicitation covenants and how these can impact a buyer or seller, and change-in-control compensation planning strategies and considerations for buyers and sellers.

Discussion Group III:  Capital Planning for Community Banks
Craig J. Mancinotti, Managing Director & Principal, Austin Associates, LLC
Richard F. Maroney, Jr., Managing Director & Principal, Austin Associates, LLC
This session will outline a practical approach to capital planning within the new regulatory capital framework.  Capital planning is a critical part of an overall strategic plan, whether it is for acquisitions, stock repurchases or to support organic growth.  The current environment and terms for capital issuances and debt financing will also be discussed.

Discussion Group IV:  Buying & Selling Branches and Deposits:  Which Deals Make Sense? 
Aaron DiRusso, Senior Vice President, Raymond James & Associates, Inc.
This discussion will focus on the pros and cons of buying and/or selling branches.  Topics covered will include deposit premiums paid, alternative transaction structures, competitive factors, customer retention, balance sheet management strategy and funding mix considerations.

Discussion Group V:  Ready To Buy, But Are You Ready To Integrate? 
Steve Sapletal, Director, Mergers & Acquisitions, West Monroe Partners, LLC
John Stockamp, Senior Manager, Northwest Banking Practice Leader, West Monroe Partners, LLC 
In this session, we will help you identify: (1) the right people and skills you need in place to support integration and sustainable growth; (2) strategic process improvement initiatives that will translate to bottom lime savings; (3) system selection, planning, implementation and integration strategies; (4) an effective, scalable infrastructure to easily integrate future acquisitions; (5) best practices to ensure you retain your customers and key employees during integration; (6) “red flags” that could prevent you from being seen as an acquisition target.  This discussion group will be collaborative, featuring best practices and lessons learned from a variety of mid-market banks. 

8:30 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.
Welcome Back
Jack Milligan, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director magazine
Mika Moser, Chief Operating Officer, Bank Director

8:40 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
Beyond M&A: Staying Relevant through Innovation & Transformation
Andrew Wooten
, Director Financial Services Advisory Mergers & Acquisitions, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
There are more options than ever before in terms of where, when and how people and businesses bank.  As many CEOs and boards consider the transformative potential of new entrants and innovations on business models, this session looks at how and where leadership might embrace disruptive, transformative forces to fuel their growth plans. 

9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Refreshment Break

9:50 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
Breakout Sessions:  Pursuing Sustainable Growth (select one)
Four breakout sessions will focus on pursuing sustainable growth – be it through mobile strategies and sales cultures or determining whether it is time to go public.

Breakout I:  What’s Next to Monetize Mobile Banking
Dave DeFazio, Partner, StrategyCorps
Over 75% of people in the U.S. owned a smartphone in 2015, making it imperative for bankers to grasp how the latest mobile trends will impact retail banking financial success.  In this session, we will study the mobile habits of today’s consumers, including the latest app usage trends and how today’s best banks and retailers have adjusted their strategies to capitalize.  This will be an entertaining and interactive session with mobile app demonstrations, man-on-the-street style customer research videos and a variety of industry case studies from both bank and non-banking retailers.

Breakout II:  Navigating Wealth Management Acquisitions—How to Win the Deal & Make It Successful
Wesley Fox
, Director, Investment Banking, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., A Stifel Company
This session provides an overview of trends in wealth management M&A and the positioning of banks in this highly competitive market.  It will also present insight on transaction structuring trends and considerations.

Breakout III:  Does It Make Sense to Go Public?
Joseph Ceithaml, Partner & Upper Midwest Leader, Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP
Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President, OTC Markets Group Inc.
Terry Peterson, President & CEO, California Bank of Commerce
Nicholas A. Rieser, Managing Director, Hovde Group, LLC
During this breakout session, participants walk through the decision making process about going public. What are some of the advantages of having publicly traded stock?  What are some of the challenges to being public?  How can an illiquid, tightly held stock hurt the bank?

Breakout IV:  Growing with SBA Loans
Brian Carlson, President & CEO, SBA Complete, Inc.
SBA lending is one of the most reliable and highly profitable activities available to financial institutions.  This session will discuss innovative ways banks are using SBA lending to increase earnings, improve liquidity and asset quality, reduce concentrations and mitigate risk.

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10:55 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
The CEO Connection: Finding the Right Partners
Richard D. Callicutt II, President & CEO, Bank of North Carolina
Russell A. Colombo, President & CEO, Bank of Marin
Robert G. Sarver, Chairman & CEO, Western Alliance Bancorporation
Moderated by: Jack Milligan, Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director magazine
To wrap up this year’s Acquire or Be Acquired Conference, Bank Director magazine’s editor, Jack Milligan, leads a dynamic discussion with a panel of bank CEOs on the emerging issues confronting bankers today.  From finding the right partners (be it in a merger or in terms of outside advisors) to collaborating with the fintech community, these executive’s perspectives are sure to inspire.  

11:45 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
Closing Remarks
Jack Milligan, 
Editor-in-Chief, Bank Director magazine 

11:50 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.
Boxed Lunch
Sponsored by:  StrategyCorps

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1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
L. William Seidman Annual Acquire or Be Acquired Golf Tournament
Sponsored by: 
Jefferies LLC and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Enjoy the afternoon playing golf with your peers.  While the golf tournament is FREE to registered conference attendees, space is limited. So sign up early to reserve your spot!

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Closing Peer & Guest Cocktail Reception
Sponsored by:  Jefferies LLC and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Attendees and their guests join in the fun to see who is this year’s winner of the L. William Seidman Golf Tournament!