Competitors can mean business without being mean

Editor's Note: This column was part of the Oct. 9 Pulse, which was sent to more than 14,000 bankers. I spent two days this week at the BHCA Fall Seminar where I picked up numerous insights from industry experts on the state of community bank M&A. It was an intense schedule with 15 sessions, which means the Pulse team took a ton of notes that are destined to be worked into future articles. (Personally, I’m suffering from information and interaction overload, which is akin to a red wine hangover.).Nathan Stovall of S&P Global kicked things off with an overview that leads me to believe M&A activity will rev up, perhaps not like a Ferrari but maybe like a Ford Mustang. Keep in mind his comments came just hours after Fifth Third Bank scooped up Comerica in a $10.9 billion all stock deal. “I think we're going to see more bigger deals, and that can impact us in a lot of ways,” Stovall said, adding that the fallout for smaller community banks on increased M&A among some regionals presents an opportunity — to gain new customers, new employees and new deposits.I see two local banks taking that message to heart. On Oct. 20, the Bremer Bank brand will disappear from the landscape, replaced by Old National’s. Emails to customers prepping them for the transition have already gone out, headlined, “Your transition Is almost here.” Bremer customers have until Oct. 17 to update their login credentials and re-verify their mobile numbers. A day prior to that, customers will lose their access to Zelle and Bill Pay. (FYI, I’m not a customer, yet I still got the email. Go figure.)For the last few months, Bridgewater Bank has been soliciting Bremer customers with the message that their bank is “neither old nor national.” I appreciate the word play and creativity and would love to know if this campaign has been effective.Bell Bank hasn’t been complacent about the opportunity presented by this deal either. They’ve placed billboards around the Twin Cities with the message: “Switch your bank before your bank switches you.” Bell Bank uses that distinctive “Bremer Blue” in its typeface, a strong clue as to whom the message is targeted. I approve of Bridgewater’s and Bell’s competitive spirit. You know the adage: It’s not personal; it’s business.At the seminar, I heard a few bankers talking about the importance of culture when deciding whether or not to proceed with a deal. I also heard about an entire lending team exiting an acquired bank in the throes of a deal. When locking down a key employee, one banker said, you will face a situation where that employee will wield a lot of power. The populist in me applauds anyone who sees an opportunity to flex and seizes it.Ultimately, banking is a business designed to help people, customers and employees alike. Whether it’s bank versus bank, or employee versus employer, anyone engaged in the industry would be well served to remember that at the core of all we do are people, not human assets but human beings. Please proceed accordingly.