Adrenaline’s Gina Bleedorn Featured in Financial Brand on Chase’s Community Branching

Company’s President & CEO tapped for her retail network expertise as Chase announces expansion of its branch banking model with “Community Center” flagship branches

Monday, October 21, 2024 – When JPMorgan Chase makes announcements about building more branches, most banking industry insiders aren’t especially surprised. After all, Chase is renowned for its focus on the branch as a vehicle for influence and growth. However, the latest announcement from Chase that it would be rolling out a new “Community Center” format in some of the most underbanked cities and towns across the U.S. has the industry abuzz. Recognizing and acting on opportunity in lower income markets can be a formidable challenge, but Chase thinks it may have cracked the code.

“In a way, what Chase is doing is doubling down on [banking] regulations and almost celebrating them,” says Gina Bleedorn, president and CEO of Adrenaline, in an interview with the Financial Brand for its article on Chase amplifying its community branch presence. “It’s satisfying regulatory requirements exponentially.” With financial institutions consistently needing to meet the requirements of the Community Reinvestment Act, finding growth through service is a model that works for banks and communities, alike. “This is not just do-gooding,’’says Chase CEO Jamie Dimon to the Wall Street Journal. “This is business.”

And going where the business is, doesn’t necessarily mean Chase will be there permanently – the company will remain in markets only as long as opportunity persists. “When Chase comes into a market, they don’t always stay there forever,” according to Gina in the Financial Brand. “They’re in for a period of time to get the customers, get the deposits, get primary financial institution relationships and loans, and then they thin out [their network] over time.” With dynamic demographics, market change is a fact of life for banks and credit unions, and something they must consistently consider as they assess the value of their retail network.

From a local vantage, the biggest concern about Chase’s move into these markets is that it’s another way big banks bite into community banking territory. Gina says that Chase’s move is a “wakeup call in many ways to the banking industry at large.” She reminds all financial institutions to pay “fanatical attention to retail delivery strategy.” While most banks can’t compete on scale, they can match or exceed Chase in personalized service. “What Chase is doing is what everyone should be doing, in a way,” according to Gina in the Financial Brand. “They need to be creating community-oriented centers that are focused on advice and building financial literacy.”

As Chase demonstrates its savvy in locality, the article outlines “countermeasures that community players can try” as they compete in communities with bigger banks like Chase. These actions include: seizing opportunities in markets big banks leave behind; finding alternative ways to amplify market presence – like mobile banking and ITMs; and focus on quality over quantity with branches in the network. For all of the insights from Gina and other banking experts, read the complete article “Chase Ramps Up Its Community Banking Push. Can Local Brands Compete?” on the Financial Brand.

To learn more about retail banking strategies and network transformation for your bank or credit union, or to speak with one of Adrenaline’s brand experience experts, contact us today.

Adrenaline is an end-to-end brand experience company serving the financial industry. We move brands and businesses ahead by delivering on every aspect of their experience across digital and physical channels, from strategy through implementation. We create brands people love and engage audiences with story-led design and insights-driven marketing; and we design and build transformative brand experiences across branch networks, leading the construction of physical spaces that drive business advantage and make the brand experience real.