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Spotlight On: David Barksdale, President & CEO, Piedmont Federal Bank
Key points: • Community banks compete through local relationships and reinvestment in their markets. • Housing affordability and rates continue to limit mortgage activity. • AI, fraud risk, and consolidation...
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Spotlight On: Allan Rasmussen, President & CEO, HomeTown Bank, N.A.
Key points: • HomeTown Bank is leveraging strong regional growth to expand selectively while maintaining its community-focused model. • Investment in technology and AI is enabling scale without sacrificing relationship-driven...
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Spotlight On: Zac Snyder, Regional Executive, Carter Bank
Key points: • Banking strategy is shaped by uncertainty, with AI, regulation, and digital assets in focus. • Capital demand remains steady, but underwriting is more selective across sectors. •...
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Spotlight On: David Barksdale, President & CEO, Piedmont Federal Bank
Key points: • Community banks compete through local relationships and reinvestment in their markets. • Housing affordability and rates continue to limit mortgage activity. • AI, fraud risk, and consolidation are shaping the industry’s future. April 2026 — Invest: spoke with David Barksdale, president and CEO of Piedmont Federal Bank, about the outlook for community banking, the pressures shaping housing affordability, and the balance between innovation and relationship-driven service. “We gather...
CEO Insights
She Was Always in the Arena
Key points: • Roosevelt’s “Man in the Arena” reflects the reality of leadership, one that women have long embodied without recognition. • Data shows
I:BSS
With the Invest: Business Sentiment Survey, we take a deep dive into our markets through an on-the-ground approach to tell you why you should be doing business there.
The Regional Economic Sentiment Index, drawn from the Invest: Business Sentiment Survey (I:BSS), tracks perceptions of economic strength across 20 U.S. metro areas. The index is based on a standardized question posed to senior executives and public officials featured in Invest: reports, asking them to rate the strength of their regional economy on a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being strongest).
Sentiment remained stable from late 2023 through most of 2025, but it became more volatile following the January 2025 political transition, as a new wave of tariff activity and shifting trade expectations introduced greater uncertainty. After a mid-2025 slump and a brief rebound in early fall, sentiment declined sharply at year-end, with December 2025 marking the weakest reading of the series.
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caa annual business guides take a 360° view of each metro area we cover through in-depth analysis, interviews with local business and political leaders and comprehensive data and statistics. Click on a cover to read more.
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Invest: Insights captures the collective voice of the business community. This video series features industry leaders, executives, and entrepreneurs sharing insights on key sectors and local economic opportunities.
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About caa
caa is an integrated media company that connects the dots in the markets it covers, providing business intelligence to businesses, executives, investors, and entrepreneurs across its digital and print platforms. It produces annual economic reports and engaging content on important US metro regions, while forging strategic connections through its leadership summits.
