Blogs

Consumers are demanding streamlined, hassle-free payment solutions both online and in person. As consumers increasingly pay less with cash, businesses are turning to an increasing mix of emerging payment solutions to maintain growth. For the most part, consumer preferences are shifting toward mobile and digital payment options. Businesses are responding by investing in ways to improve their payment solutions to accommodate mobile, online and point-of-sale channels. The mix of emerging payments depends on the industry and local markets. But the general trends shown in the most recent survey by...

Even as Covid-19 infections caused by the delta variant continue to rise in some areas of the country, economic activity continues to increase. Consumer spending rose at an annualized rate of 11.8 percent in the second quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Payroll employment increased by 943,000 in July, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, above expectations. The best news is that spending increases were led by food services and hospitality, some of the mainstays of local economies. Commercial enterprises are now seeking ways to grow as the economy expands...

As more economic stimulus has been poured into the economy over the last year in an attempt to stave off the worst effects of the pandemic, an increasing number of economic professionals have warned against a coming spike in inflation. While the United States historically has had a low overall rate of inflation compared to other countries, there are still some troubling signs for businesses to shield themselves against. Some inflation is inevitable as the country emerges from the pandemic simply as a normalization from the unusually low growth in 2020. Finding ways to creatively cope with a...

Location to become new home of Illinois Bank & Trust Galena, IL – April 23, 2021 – Illinois Bank & Trust (IBT) and The Galena Gazette announced the pending purchase by IBT of the property at 716 S. Bench Street in Galena. As previously announced, the sale of IBT’s property at 971 Gear Street to the Galena Center for the Arts provided IBT the opportunity to re-assess and reimagine banking experiences in Galena while reinforcing its commitment to the community. “During the past few months, several potential sites in the Galena market were considered,” said Joe Mattingley, IBT’s market president...

February 8, 2021 – Illinois Bank & Trust, a division of HTLF Bank, through its parent company, Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ: HTLF), has been named a “Forbes Best Bank 2021.” Heartland is the only bank headquartered in Iowa to receive the prestigious recognition from Forbes, again this year. In its annual review of the largest publicly traded banks and thrifts, Forbes ranked Heartland 52nd among a nationwide group of 100 leading banking organizations with assets ranging from $9 billion to over $2 trillion. “We are proud to be named among the best banks in America for 2021,” said Lynn H. “Tut” Fuller, President and...