Book excerpt: A guide for community banks to rebuild and strengthen their business With Community Banking Strategies, author Vincent Boberski, a financial professional who has spent years working with senior management and the boards of directors at local banks, skillfully reveals how community banks can compete against bigger institutions in the wake of the most significant financial crisis since the 1930s. Chapter by chapter, he offers practical advice on many of the most important issues in this area, including portfolio management, balance sheet management, and dealing with interest rate and credit cycles. Along the way, Boberski also offers in-depth insights on establishing and encouraging the lasting client relationships that produce the most essential piece of the banking business: focusing on increasing core deposits, which is at the heart of any good local bank. Details the strategies, products, and tactics that will enable community banks to create opportunities out of market dislocations and effectively manage risk Reveals how to capture consistently profitable growth at the expense of regional and national competitors Discusses what it takes to transform newfound market dynamics into customer relationships that touch both sides of the balance sheet If you want to gain a better understanding of the strategies that could consistently lead to success in this field, this book is the best place to start.