Earlier this year, the VBA announced an important shift in how we facilitate banker-to-banker engagement. After pausing committee meetings during the first half of 2026, we undertook a comprehensive review of our peer engagement model, gathering member feedback and evaluating how professionals want to connect, learn, and collaborate in today’s environment.

What we heard was clear: members still value peer connections, but they want engagement opportunities that are more flexible, more relevant to their day-to-day challenges, and easier to participate in amid demanding schedules.

Importantly, members did not tell us they wanted fewer opportunities to connect. They told us they wanted better opportunities to connect.

That distinction helped drive the decision to sunset traditional committees and begin testing new approaches to peer engagement. The goal was not to reduce collaboration among bankers, but to create formats that better align with how professionals share knowledge and solve problems today.

One of the first examples of this new approach is the Marketing Peer Group Forum.

Rather than operating as a standing committee with recurring responsibilities and administrative requirements, last week’s Forum brought together close to 30 marketing professionals virtually around timely topics, emerging trends, and practical challenges. Participants joined because the conversation is relevant to their work right now, creating an environment that is both focused and highly actionable.

The Forum was intentionally designed to be interactive. Participants were encouraged not only to hear new ideas, but also to share experiences, exchange best practices, ask questions, and learn from peers facing many of the same opportunities and challenges. This emphasis on practical knowledge-sharing directly reflects what members told us they value most in peer engagement.

Participants began with insights from Joe Kubek of ABM on the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in financial services marketing. The discussion quickly expanded into a peer-driven roundtable where attendees shared real-world experiences and explored how AI is being used across their organizations.

The agenda itself reflected the shift from committee work to issue-focused peer collaboration. Participants discussed topics ranging from marketing ROI to CRM strategies, compliance and workflow tools, technology investments, and the most effective marketing programs. These were not committee assignments or administrative updates. They were practical challenges marketers are actively navigating every day.

Perhaps most importantly, the Forum created the kind of candid peer-to-peer dialogue that members consistently tell us they value. The conversation was practical, collaborative, and driven by participant interests. It demonstrated how meaningful connections can be built when professionals have the opportunity to engage around topics that matter most to their work.

This is exactly the type of experimentation we envisioned when we began reimagining peer engagement. In the months ahead, VBA will continue testing forums, roundtables, and other peer-to-peer learning opportunities, both virtual and in person, as Bruce mentioned the importance of in his column this month, designed to help bankers connect, share insights, and address timely industry challenges.

As these programs evolve based on member participation and feedback, our focus remains on creating flexible, valuable opportunities for collaboration and professional growth. Whether online or face-to-face, future engagements will be centered on meaningful conversations, practical takeaways, and strong peer connections that support bankers in their day-to-day work. Be sure to bookmark our Boards, Peer Groups and Committees page, as well as our Event Calendar, for the next upcoming opportunities in this space!