Independent Banker - July 2020 - 33

ease anxiety and deliver
information directly from the
Treasury Department and
national SBA staff.
ICBA has a strong relationship
with our state affiliates
on a normal basis, but it has
grown even stronger during
the pandemic. Despite a lack of
in-person visits due to canceled
state conventions, ICBA staff
and state executives are coordinating
and collaborating more
closely than ever before.
Trusted partners
ICBA's first goal in working
with state associations has
been to provide accurate information,
especially during the
early stages of the PPP rollout,
when frustration was running
high. We quickly formed a PPP
working group to weed through
available information. We also
reached out to our contacts
in the Trump administration,
Congress, government agencies and regulatory bodies to get
the facts and fact check conflicting information.
Like the community bankers we serve, ICBA and the
state associations have worked at a frenetic pace, hustling
to gather information as quickly as possible, but prioritizing
accuracy over speed. The collective goal has been to
be a source of calm for community bankers. We wanted to
provide them with relief through our combined advocacy
efforts, not add to the turmoil.
Many community banks were new to SBA lending and
weren't familiar with existing programs, let alone the PPP,
with its rushed rollout. In some cases, local SBA offices were
eager to help but provided inconsistent information, and
FAQs were constantly changing.
State executives have been a critical conduit in these
conversations with leaders in Washington. They've helped
us shape these discussions by sharing community bankers'
questions, concerns, expectations and challenges, so that
ICBA staff fully understands what community banks are
experiencing, what they need to know and how we can best
serve and advocate for them. That's in addition to the hundreds
of community bankers reaching out directly to ICBA.
The Independent Bankers Association of Texas (IBAT)
invited ICBA staff to its " war room " calls to gather ideas and
strategize. The Community Bankers Association of Ohio,
the Independent Community Bankers of South Dakota,
the Community Bankers Association of Georgia and others
included ICBA staff in their online panel presentations.
Information sharing
Communication has been a two-way street. In addition to
helping inform ICBA's information-gathering efforts, state
executives have served as essential distributors of information,
incorporating ICBA resources into their own member
communications about the PPP and the CARES Act. Groups
like IBAT, the Independent Bankers Association of New York
State, the Independent Bankers Association of Minnesota
(ICBM), the Independent Community Bankers Association
of New Mexico and others regularly ran ICBA's PPP alert in
their newsletters to help keep their members informed and
active. The results of this were immediate, as community
bank priorities were reflected in ensuing guidance from the
Treasury and SBA.
State executives have been tireless community bank
advocates, connecting members through video calls and
other nontraditional communications, like online happy
hours. ICBA has been grateful to be included in these meetings,
providing 15- to 30-minute updates directly to state
association members via video conference. The Community
Bankers Association of Illinois, ICBM, the North Carolina
Bankers Association, the Community Bankers Association
of Ohio, the Tennessee Bankers Association, IBAT and the
Wisconsin Bankers Association are among the many state
associations that have included ICBA in their meetings or
messaging to their members.
In some cases, the community bankers whom ICBA sees
on these calls include individuals who don't normally travel
to Washington, D.C., and might not be involved in national
advocacy. These virtual meetings have been a silver lining
for ICBA staff sheltering in place at home, who are making
new contacts and expanding their experience of community
with the people who understand the concept better
than anyone.
Going forward, these new and strengthened relationships
will help ICBA in its unwavering efforts to create and promote
an environment where community banks flourish.
From ensuring community banks are able to serve their customers
through the PPP and any forthcoming programs, to
serving as a joint resource for all community bankers struggling
with the new normal, ICBA and its state association
affiliates won't rest.
At a time where we are forced to be apart, we've found a
way to work more closely together than ever before.
independentbanker.org Q 33
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Independent Banker - July 2020

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