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Inside the Board Room: What 100% Bank Ownership Really Means

Written by DCI | Sep 23, 2025 9:30:00 PM

If there’s one thing every banker can agree on, it’s that you have enough on your plate–and the last thing you need is a core partner that piles on more problems instead of solving them. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what can happen when your core processor is owned by outside investors. But DCI takes a different approach.

Rather than prioritizing ROI and shareholder return over the long-term health of community banks, DCI, as a 100% bank-owned core provider, is guided by the very institutions it serves. That means our success is measured by one thing only: how well we help bankers succeed.

What 100% Bank Ownership Means at DCI

“By bankers for bankers” isn’t just a tagline. At DCI, our shareholders are the same banks that rely on our technology every day. No private equity, no outside investors, just bankers shaping the company they trust to run their core.

That ownership structure matters. Why? It creates accountability. It ensures transparency. It allows us to take the long view, prioritizing relationships over quick wins, and reinvesting into solutions that support our clients, not outside interests.

Innovation Without Compromise

Some assume “private ownership” means slower innovation. But for DCI, that’s just not the case. Over more than 60 years, DCI has been at the forefront of core technology, from online banking’s early days to today’s integrated digital and payment solutions.

The difference? We bring our customers with us. Every solution in our platform is designed to give community banks the infrastructure they need to thrive–whether that’s serving a rural town, a regional hub, or a fully digital customer base.

And because we control our own destiny, we decide when and how to invest. The returns we generate don’t go toward paying interest on loans or satisfying investors, so they go directly back into banker-first innovation and controlled growth.

Inside the Board Room: Real Decisions, Real Examples

Undeniably, ownership structure shapes daily decisions. At DCI, those decisions are transparent, collaborative, and always focused on the impact on our bankers.

Consider these examples:

  • Pricing fairness: When DCI decided to reduce the price of a product for new sales, we also lowered it for existing customers still under contract—because it was the right thing to do.

  • Billing with integrity: In one project, a bank was quoted for a certain number of development hours, but the actual work came in at half that. Instead of billing the higher, already-contracted amount, we only billed for the time spent.

  • Owning our mistakes: When an account manager discovered a customer had been overbilled, the decision to fully reimburse was immediate and without hesitation.

  • Protecting customer support: During board discussions of new initiatives, one of the first questions asked is always, “Can you ensure this won’t negatively affect our current customers’ support?”

 What This Means for DCI Customers

DCI’s 100% bank-owned model translates into something rare in today’s core processing world: stability without stagnation. You get both the responsiveness of a true partner and the technology of an industry leader.

That means custom solutions when you need them. It means direct access to decision-makers and executives who actually listen. And it means the confidence that when DCI rolls out new innovations–whether digital, mobile, or back-end efficiencies–they’re designed around your needs, not an investor’s quarterly report.

 As Chairman of the Board Keith Hughes puts it:

“Every decision we make is guided by one simple question–will this make life better for our banks? The result is that our customers aren’t just buying technology; they’re investing in a relationship that balances long-term innovation with day-to-day support. That combination is what sets community banks apart, and it’s what sets DCI apart too.”

Conclusion: A Better Way to Partner

Bankers know that trust, accountability, and transparency aren’t just “extras.” At DCI, we don’t throw those values around–they’re written into our ownership structure.

For over 60 years, we’ve proven that innovation and partnership don’t have to be at odds. You can have both: the cutting-edge tools to compete, and the trusted partner who puts your success first.

If you’re ready for a core partner who answers to you and not investors…it may be time to take a closer look at DCI.