Federal Reserve System moderator opens community banking conference; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent invited to speak

A moderator at the Federal Reserve System opened a conference in Washington that brought together more than 100 community bank chief executives and industry leaders to discuss the future of community banking and emerging regulatory questions.

The moderator said the conference’s purpose was to "discuss the future of community banking" and to "tell the community bank story," emphasizing that community banks are often the "first call for small businesses seeking to grow, for families looking to buy homes, and for anyone seeking to achieve their financial goals." The event will include panels addressing technology, AI and fraud and a policy-focused discussion of capital and liquidity regulation.

The moderator listed scheduled participants including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent; Paxos CEO Chad Cascarilla; Blackstone CEO Steven Schwartzman; Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev; and CNBC host Jim Cramer, who was named as a panel moderator for a session of community bank CEOs. The moderator said these leaders would help "think more broadly about how economic and industry developments intersect with community banking."

A dedicated policy panel was announced to feature community bank CEOs discussing capital and liquidity regulation and "how our regulatory frameworks affect your institutions and your ability to serve your communities," the moderator said. The remarks framed the conference as an opportunity for candid discussion between regulators, bankers and industry figures about supervisory policy, resilience and the capacity of community banks to support local economies.

The moderator closed by thanking attendees and inviting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to share his insights with the group. Panel sessions and discussions were presented as the next items on the agenda; no formal votes or actions were recorded in the transcript.