Executive Forum Archives

June 23, 2025

Executive Forum: Navigating the Shifting Landscape of the California Commercial Insurance Marketplace

River City Bank kicked off the 2025 Executive Forum series with the timely topic of the commercial insurance market in California. Held in the elegant Magnolia Ballroom at the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel in downtown Sacramento, the event brought together a packed house of industry professionals, business leaders, and community stakeholders.

The highlight of the forum was a standout panel of experts featuring Richard Carillo of Travelers Insurance, Edward Johnson of Bender Insurance Solutions, Mark Sektnan of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, and Stephen L. Young of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of California. The conversation was moderated by River City Bank President and CEO Steve Fleming, who guided the panel through a wide-ranging dialogue on the state of commercial insurance in California.

Topics included the implications of recent legislative changes, the growing complexity of claims trends, and the impact of plaintiff attorneys on the marketplace. Panelists also weighed in on the unique regulatory strategies unfolding at the state level and shared perspectives on the shifting risk environment facing California businesses today.

The event wouldn’t have been possible without support from our sponsors: Bender Insurance Solutions, BFBA, Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, and Foresight IT. Your continued partnership is instrumental to the success of the Executive Forum series, and we are grateful for your contributions.

We are excited to keep the momentum with the rest of the 2025 series and continue the conversations, especially those that inspire ideas and support our business community.

June 19, 2024

River City Bank’s 2024 Executive Forum Series

Picture 1: Photo of three women at a table. Picture 2: Photo for two men and two women with microphones

River City Bank's Executive Forum Series is an exclusive program tailored for senior executives. The Forum is designed to provide valuable knowledge and insights from business leaders and executives across different businesses and industries. Handpicked for their expertise on relevant topics for today’s businesses, panelists offer guidance and recommendations based on their professional experiences. The presentations are followed up with roundtable discussions with attendees to discuss key takeaways from their experiences.

With two successful programs already under its belt, River City Bank's 2024 series is off to a solid start.

March 27, 2024 – “The Growth Engine: Driving an Employee Development Culture"

Organizations that offer quality professional development and training opportunities can reap additional rewards when those programs result in significant performance improvement. When employees feel valued by their employer, the result is often improved loyalty, productivity, and engagement with their organization.

The March Executive Forum, "The Growth Engine - Driving an Employee Development Culture," offered a compelling overview of the importance of professional development and training in an organization. Moderated by Eric Anderton, CEO of Construction Genius, the all-star panel was comprised of Mary Teichert, President of Teichert Construction, Sue Weiler-Doke, Senior Consultant of D. Brown Management, and Pat Lewis, Chief Operating Officer of River City Bank. These experts discussed how creating open conversations with employees and balancing a supportive work culture with continuous learning can benefit employers and employees alike.

May 30, 2024 – “How to Effectively Structure a Finance Department”

The Executive Forum in May focused on structuring finance department roles and responsibilities for growth and success. The conversation centered around how companies develop, nurture, and maintain an airtight finance team to improve the bottom line.

The discussion, led by Moderator Rod Barbour from Lawson Mechanical Contractors, underscored the Finance Department's strategic role as a unifying factor across different parts of an organization. Panelists Rebecca Freeman of Chordline Health, Lorie Symon of Aerometals, Inc., and Brian Killeen from River City Bank shared their insights on how these essential roles within Finance can be harnessed for organizational success.

With the ongoing support of our sponsors, Bender Insurance Solutions, BFBA, LLP, and Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, we are excited to present more insightful programs for the business community.

December 1, 2022

River City Bank’s Executive Forum Series Returns

River City Bank’s Executive Forum Series is back after a two-year hiatus!

With sponsors Bender Insurance Solutions, BFBA, LLP, and Murphy Austin Adams Schoenfeld LLP, the event made its return to the historic Sutter Club to discuss “The Future of the Workplace: In-Person, Hybrid, or Remote – What really works?”

A distinguished group of business leaders and consultants weighed in on their experiences and what they have seen in the marketplace. The panel included Sacramento Metro Chamber‘s Amanda Blackwood, Craig Boyce of BFBA, and Aurora Vega of Lux Bus America. Along with moderator River City Bank’s President and CEO Steve Fleming, the group spoke on their company’s return-to-work policies and how their decisions affected culture, recruiting, and talent retention.

The networking event allowed attendees to make new business connections and catch up with a few familiar faces.

October 23, 2019

Executive Forum: How to Grow the Top Line

Close up of shaking hands of two business people

How do companies achieve high revenue growth in an ever-changing and competitive sales environment? How do you identify, recruit, and retain talented business development personnel? Should a company grow organically or through M&A? All these questions and more were addressed at River City Bank’s most recent Executive Forum.

Our fantastic panel of experts comprised of Shannon Deary-Bell, President & CEO of Nor-Cal Beverage Co., Inc., Don Clark, President of Business Development & Owner of Clark Pacific, and Justin Horner, Director at DCA Partners, shared experiences from their high growth companies and business development best practices. The panel discussed innovative approaches they have taken to keep up with the rapid evolutions of their industries, including developing their own recruiting and retention strategies.

River City Bank’s Executive Forum series is an exclusive program designed for C-level Executives to network, learn, and collaborate in a confidential setting. Executive Forum events are supported by Bender Insurance Solutions, BFBA, Boutin Jones Inc., DCA Partners, Genovese Burford & Brothers, GNT Solutions, and River City Bank.

Justin Horner of DCA Capital Partners, Josh Michael of GNT solutions, and Craig Hettrich of The Hettrich Group

Shannon Deary-Bell, President & CEO of Nor-Cal Beverage Co., with River City Bank’s Charice Huntley and Carol Burger of Burger Rehabilitation

GNT Solutions Eric Johnson with Davis Reis of Capitol Valley Electric, and Don Clark of Clark Pacific

July 5, 2018

An Afternoon with Matina Kolokotronis

Executive-Forum-with-Matina-Kolokotronis_1500x480

River City Bank invited Sacramento Kings’ Matina Kolokotronis to speak at their recent Executive Forum. Kolokotronis is the Chief Operating Officer and the only woman in the NBA to hold the titles of both COO and President of Business Operations.

She acknowledged the importance of being a mentor, breaking barriers, and accepting the challenges that influence change. Addressing a roomful of Sacramento’s business leaders at the Sutter Club, Kolokotronis gave insight on the success of the Golden One Center and her 20-plus years with the Kings organization. She shared her story as a female executive in a predominantly male environment and the significance of blazing a path for the next generation.

She acknowledged mentors who inspired her to have work-life balance, where you can have a fulfilling career and raise a family. Kolokotronis also credited former NBA Commissioner, David J. Stern, on setting the tone at the highest level and for having the vision to be an inclusive organization.

Paul McClure of Runyon Saltzman and Iain Mickle of Boutin Jones

Sacramento Kings COO, Matina Kolokotronis, and SVP of Communications, Joelle Terry

Erika Avanova and Linda Bergaus of Life Assist with Janette Moynier of River City Bank, Carolyn Lewis of The Lewis Group Inc., and Valerie Park of Nathan Property Management.

Eric Johnson of GNT Solutions, Mike Newell of HP Hood LLC, and Yasmin Seyal of EvinceMed Corp.