Editor-in-Chief
American Banker
Chana R. Schoenberger is the editor-in-chief of American Banker. Previously, she was the editor-in-chief of Financial Planning after joining Arizent in 2020. In her prior role, she was the managing editor for U.S. wealth management at J.P. Morgan. Before that, she was a columnist and freelance journalist, and previously worked at Bloomberg News, Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. A graduate of Harvard College, she received her master’s degree as part of Columbia Journalism School’s Knight-Bagehot Fellowship for business journalists. She is now based in New York City after stints in Tokyo and Canada.
The next wave of artificial intelligence goes beyond better tools—it gives them autonomous agents. This session explores what agentic AI means for the future of relationship managers, and how institutions are deploying AI systems to proactively identify cross-sell opportunities, flag at-risk relationships, prepare call briefs, and automate follow-up at scale. Industry leaders will debate where autonomous AI delivers the greatest competitive advantage, where human judgment remains irreplaceable, and how banks are building the governance frameworks needed to deploy agentic systems responsibly. The discussion will examine what the institutions moving first are learning—and what everyone else risks by waiting.
While the SBA has expanded capital access for high-growth businesses, its recent rule changes could present challenges for banks. While SBA borrowers can now combine 7(a) and 504 loan limits for up to $10 million—double the previous limit—banks must now meet more rigorous SBA-specific loan guidelines, reducing underwriting flexibility.
This session explores the specific implications of the SBA’s rule changes and how they will affect national and community banks. Industry practitioners will examine what has changed in underwriting standards, program eligibility, and compliance requirements—and what banks need to do to stay out in front of the wide-ranging implications of the new rules in place. The discussion will address how the most forward-looking lenders are turning regulatory change into a competitive advantage, and what their new small business lending playbook looks like.
The gap between what leaders intend to prioritize and what teams actually execute has never been wider, or more consequential. In a fast-moving environment, the line between what is interesting and what is truly important can blur, making it harder to sustain focus while keeping teams engaged and motivated. This fireside chat explores how leaders can drive meaningful colleague engagement while maintaining disciplined sales execution. Patrick Cristino will share perspectives on navigating competing priorities, distinguishing high-impact work from distractions and balancing inspiration with accountability. The discussion will examine how leaders can create clarity, reinforce ownership and translate engagement into measurable performance—ensuring teams stay energized while delivering consistent, results-driven execution.
Empowering Small and Mid-Sized Businesses: A Bank’s Role in Local Economies
Financial institutions play a critical role in supporting small and midsized businesses (SMBs) and local economies. In an up-close and thoughtful fireside chat, the session will uncover strategies and insights aimed at solidifying the role of banks as indispensable partners in the SMB ecosystem. In today’s economic landscape, discover how embracing digital transformation, leveraging data-driven intelligence, and fostering relationships can unlock new growth opportunities for banks as well as the entrepreneurs, families, and communities they serve. Insights include:
Small businesses operate on significantly tighter margins than large enterprises. In today’s economic environment, they are less able to absorb additional costs and are more likely to pass them on to consumers. This creates an urgent need for banks to help small business clients strategize ways to offset rising expenses, navigate supply chain disruptions, and manage a tightening credit landscape.
Our panelists will discuss how banks can play a critical role by offering innovative financing options, effective cash management and expense tracking tools, and seamless ecommerce and payment solutions. Together, we’ll explore actionable strategies financial institutions can implement to help small businesses maintain stability and growth in a challenging economy.