JULY ƟǒƟǒ Vol. 70, Issue 7 In addition to being a community banker, Tony Gudajtes of Choice Bank has his own farming operation in Warsaw, N.D. " We put a lot of emphasis on local decision-making ability. " -Tony Gudajtes, executive vice president and agricultural market president, Choice Bank 34 ICBA's Top Lenders 2020 There's no doubt that 2019 looked very diff erent than 2020 in all areas of life, and community banking was no exception. This year's list of top lenders, including Choice Bank (pictured), had exceptional results last year that set them up for success even in a time of turmoil. features 44 How fintechs are building on innovation The early stage fintechs from the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator have a message for community bankers: Together, any technology is in reach 50 Lean on me Big dreams sometimes need a bit of help. Four business owners share how their community banks have guided them through thick and thin Cover: Audra Melton independentbanker.org Q 1 Ben Gumeringerhttp://www.independentbanker.org