Independent Banker - April 2017 - 40

Leadership
O
ne thing's for sure: ICBA executive committee
members have to be excellent at time
management. Formally inducted at ICBA
Community Banking LIVE in San Antonio,
Texas, last month, the 2017-18 crop of volunteer
executives will attend dozens of industry events, meet
with community bankers up and down the country and
represent the industry's interests wherever they go. And
that's all on top of their day jobs as leaders of some of the
country's most successful community banks.
" ICBA's executive committee members represent a
diverse cross-section of our membership and are deeply
committed to ensuring the future of community banking, "
says Cam Fine, ICBA president and CEO. " These
civic-minded, successful leaders engage in yeoman's
work-meeting with policymakers, serving on various
committees and attending industry events-to advance the
community banking cause.
" ICBA and the nation's community banks are fortunate
to have such highly respected, passionate individuals
leading the charge to create and promote an environment
where community banks flourish. "
If you haven't already met them, you may well get a
chance to this year. But in the meantime, consider this
your introduction to their goals and priorities-whether
business or personal-for the year ahead.
What is your top priority for the executive committee
this year?
Scott Heitkamp: To help community banks find some
regulatory relief. I am optimistic with the new administration
that we will finally get some help. Regulation is not
one size fits all, and our community bank industry needs
bifurcating. We spend more time and money addressing
regulations than we do with helping our customers. I want
to get back to what community bankers do best, and that is
growing our communities.
Tim Zimmerman: To continue to push hard for regulatory
and legislative relief for community banks. We have
been working literally for years to build a strong case for
support with regulators and Congress to provide critically
needed relief from crushing regulations. We've had a fair
amount of success getting individual provisions passed by
attaching them to bills that Congress had to pass. However,
we now have an opportunity to get comprehensive
bills, like the Financial Choice Act, which includes many
provisions from our Plan for Prosperity, passed and to the
president's desk.
Preston Kennedy: I have had the honor of meeting
many of my fellow community bankers around the country
and hearing of their struggles, as well as their successes.
ICBA prides itself on being a member-driven organization,
so I believe it is essential to get to know as many of my
40 ICBA IndependentBanker April 2017
fellow community bankers as possible.
Christopher Jordan: Being new to this level of ICBA,
my main goal will be to move along the learning curve
as quickly as possible by keeping my ears and eyes open
and my mouth shut. I will continue to provide a voice for
the community bankers in my home state of Oklahoma,
as well as those across the US and specifically those in
rural America.
Derek Williams: My priority is to faithfully represent the
thousands of community bankers in our country who, for
the first time in many years, are cautiously optimistic that
substantial changes to our regulatory burden may be possible.
ICBA has earned a sterling reputation in Washington,
and we are excited about making our voices heard. ICBA
will lead the charge, and I am honored to be part of that.
Rebeca Romero Rainey: To continue telling the story
of community banks, the impact we make and the need for
regulatory relief!
Jack Hartings: Advocating for community banking. We
have such a great industry and association, and I have seen
how we can accomplish many great things when we focus
and advocate on community banking issues. Certainly as
past chairman, I am looking forward to attending many of
the same events as I did the past four years, but having a
little less structure to my schedule and time to visit with the
many, many community bankers I have met along the way.
John Buhrmaster: A past chairman serving on the executive
committee and board has a unique role that very few
bankers have been blessed with. We have been through the
regulatory battles, testified before Congress, met with the
nation's leaders, lobbied nearly every policy body in existence,
and most importantly, traveled the country for years
speaking directly with bankers in their home states and
towns. We bring this valuable experience to the table every
day. However, our most important role is to be ambassadors
to all community bankers and to encourage those willing to
serve to do so with passion. There is nothing more effective
in D.C. than a passionate community banker, and I consider
that my most important role: to develop the future leaders
of our industry and encourage them to put their passion to
work for the good of our country.
William Loving: The financial industry is always in a
state of flux. As I look into 2017 and beyond, I don't see
any indication the future will be any different from the
past. As such, my priority, from the Consolidated Holdings
perspective, is that we carefully and properly evaluate the
financial industry landscape to ensure the organization is
best positioned to offer the products and services necessary
to facilitate the success of our partners-community
banks-and to do so in the most efficient manner possible.
What is your No. 1 goal for your community bank?
Heitkamp: To continue to work on my succession plan.
Independent Banker - April 2017

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