JANUARY 2024 Vol. 74, Issue 1 FEATURES 34 2024 CEO Roundtable: Opportunity seekers With 2023 behind them, community bank CEOs discuss fraud, increasing costs and the optimism that comes with the new year. 42 Growth patterns As cities grow, new opportunities arise. These local community banks in highgrowth areas jumped at the chance to serve their increasing populations. 48 Navigating the payments maze The multitude of payment solutions-from BNPL to Chuck to FedNow-can get confusing. Here's your guide to each. 42 Cover: Illustration by Made Up Studio 48 independentbanker.org // 1 34http://www.independentbanker.org