Nearly 1,200 bankers, exhibitors and speakers gathered for the Indiana Bankers Association’s 2026 Mega Conference. The IBA’s largest event gave attendees peer-tested strategies and practical tools to lead through today’s challenges and tomorrow’s unknowns. This year’s theme, “Future-Ready Banking,” underscored how staying ahead demands more than awareness – it demands action.
The conference teed off Tuesday, May 19, with a golf tournament at Eagle Creek Golf Club on the northwest side of the city. That evening, the IBA hosted its annual Associate Member Appreciation Reception at The Westin in recognition of the record number of associate member attendees who made Mega possible this year – as they do each year. Bankers and associate members enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvres while networking with one another.
On Wednesday, the conference schedule began in earnest with two morning and two afternoon rounds of educational breakout sessions, with six sessions to choose from in each slot. Between the morning and afternoon sessions was a lunch keynote featuring Jeff Bush, who discussed how simultaneous fiscal and political pressures are influencing markets, investor confidence and the advice that professional advisors provide to their clients. The luncheon also featured the presentation of 2026 Diamond Associate Member awards and recognition of 2025’s Five-Star Bank members.
After the day’s educational sessions wrapped up, bankers returned to the sold-out exhibit hall for the Mega Celebration, where they mingled with one another amid more than 100 exhibit booths over food and drinks. That evening, the IBA Future Leadership Division gathered for a casual networking event at Social Cantina, just a short walk from the convention center.
Wednesday evening also saw the Association’s formal farewell to Chris Bennett, the IBA’s vice president of meetings & events for 35 years, after her retirement at the start of the year. Family, friends, bankers, vendors, and colleagues from the meetings industry all gathered to reminisce about some of their favorite memories, offer recognition of and appreciation for Chris’ indelible impact on the Association, and wish her the best in her well-earned retirement.
Thursday brought another four rounds of education sessions, again with six options each. At lunch, Damon Friedman delivered a powerful and striking message on empowering professionals to change the world for good.
The luncheon also featured the announcement of this year’s Commitment to Community Award winners. The program is designed to showcase exceptional community outreach by banks in the state. Congratulations to Hoosier Heartland State Bank, Crawfordsville, for winning the category for banks with under $750 million in assets; JCBank, Seymour, for winning the category for banks with between $750 million and $3 billion in assets; and Centier Bank, Merrillville, for winning the category for banks with more than $3 billion in assets.
Thank you to all who attended, and many thanks again to our generous sponsors. We hope to see you at next year’s Mega Conference, scheduled for May 10-12, 2026, at the Indiana Convention Center.
Commitment to Community Awards
Asset size: Under $750 million
- Hoosier Heartland State Bank, Crawfordsville | WINNER
- Alliance Bank, Francesville | FINALIST
- Bath State Bank
- The Bippus State Bank, Huntington
- DeMotte State Bank
- First Federal Savings Bank, Evansville
- Logansport Savings Bank
Asset size: $750 million-$3 billion
- JCBank, Seymour | WINNER
- First State Bank, Middlebury | FINALIST
- Citizens State Bank, New Castle
- First Bank Richmond
Asset size: More than $3 billion
- Centier Bank, Merrillville | WINNER
- First Merchants Bank, Muncie | FINALIST
- Lake City Bank, Warsaw
- Merchants Bank, Carmel
- Northwest Bank, Warren, PA
- STAR Bank, Fort Wayne
- WesBanco Bank, Wheeling, WV
Five Star Members
- Alliance Bank, Francesville
- Bank of Wolcott
- The Bippus State Bank, Huntington
- Citizens Bank, Mooresville
- Citizens State Bank, New Castle
- Community First Bank of Indiana, Kokomo
- Crossroads Bank, Wabash
- DeMotte State Bank
- F&M Bank, Archbold, Ohio
- Farmers and Mechanics Federal, Bloomfield
- Farmers and Merchants Bank, Laotto
- The Farmers Bank, Frankfort
- First Bank Richmond
- First Farmers Bank & Trust Co., Converse
- First Federal Savings Bank, Huntington
- First Federal Savings Bank, Rochester
- First Federal Savings Bank of Washington
- First Harrison Bank, Corydon
- The First National Bank of Monterey
- First State Bank, Middlebury
- First State Bank of Porter
- The Fountain Trust Company, Covington
- GBC Bank, Greenfield
- German American Bank, Jasper
- Hendricks County Bank & Trust Company, Brownsburg
- Home Bank, Martinsville
- Hoosier Heartland State Bank, Crawfordsville
- JCBank, Seymour
- Kentland Bank
- Logansport Savings Bank
- Mutual Savings Bank, Franklin
- The Napoleon State Bank
- North Salem State Bank
- NWSB, Charlestown
- The Peoples Bank, Brownstown
- Riddell National Bank, Brazil
- Security Federal Savings Bank, Logansport
- Springs Valley Bank & Trust Company, Jasper
- Wayne Bank & Trust Company, Richmond
Diamond Associate Members
- Amundsen Davis LLC
- The Baker Group
- BancMac/Community Banc Mortgage Corp.
- Bankers’ Bank
- Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis
- Independent Correspondent Bankers’ Bank
- IntraFi
- K4 Architecture + Design
- KeyState
- Krieg DeVault LLP
- Kroger, Gardis & Regas LLP
- NFP Executive Benefits
- Profit Resources Inc.
- Renninger & Associates LLC
Thank you, sponsors!
- Amundsen Davis LLC
- Angott Search Group
- Aunalytics
- Axiom Human Resources Solutions
- The Baker Group
- Baker Hill Corporation
- Banc Card of America
- Bankers’ Bank
- Capitale Analytics
- Check Printing Contract Consulting
- Cherry Bekaert
- CLA
- Clark Schaefer Hackett
- Crowe LLP
- Dearing Group
- DENTONS
- Executive Benefits Network
- Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis
- Federated Hermes Inc.
- Forvis Mazars LLP
- Graduate School of Banking
- Green Sign Company
- Hokanson Companies Inc.
- IBA Group Insurance Trust
- ICEBERG FS
- Independent Community Bankers of America
- infotex
- Investors Title Insurance Company
- K4 Architecture + Design
- KeyState
- Kroger Gardis & Regas LLP
- Ncontracts
- NFP Executive Benefits
- Performance Trust Capital Partners
- Plante Moran
- Primax
- Profit Resources Inc.
- PULSE
- Renninger & Associates LLC
- S&P Global Market Intelligence
- Travelers
- United Bankers’ Bank
- UnitedHealthcare
- Virtual Innovation Inc.
- Young & Associates Inc.
