Independent Banker - July 2024 - 7

FROM THE TOP
Showing pride
in independence
his nation was founded by
rabble-rousers looking to do
things differently, and that's exactly
who we are as community bankers.
We stand up to the status quo to
offer the products that meet the
needs of our communities, which are
as diverse as this great nation.
Our independence empowers
us by providing the freedom to do
things our way. For instance, if we're
working with a seasonal business
with cyclical cash flows, we can
structure their loan in a way that will
most benefit them. We don't have
to fit them into a particular box; we
build the loan around them.
Our independence also offers
flexibility in how we run our banks
as businesses. We can set our
priorities and consider the big
picture beyond returns and revenue.
For example, my bank just went
through a core conversion, and at
the same time, our monthly profits
were shrinking slightly. With
the stress levels around the core
conversion at their height, we made
the executive decision to wait to
address profits until its conclusion.
We wanted our team to celebrate
their hard work, not immediately
pivot to a new issue.
Our independence also brings
with it a sincere connection to
our communities. Our support
goes beyond writing a big check;
T
it sits at the heart of who we are as
community bankers.
Case in point: Just over a year ago,
our community experienced a tragic
event where a seventh grader, who
had been bullied in school, committed
suicide. It was heart-wrenching for
the entire community. So, our bank
decided to help with recovery: We
contracted with a speaker we'd seen at
ICBA LIVE to come to the middle and
high schools and discuss ways to stop
bullying and be kinder to each other.
After that session, a sixth grader
came up to me to thank the bank for
sponsoring the session. She said she
had contemplated suicide before,
and it helped to know that people
cared. That's why we do what we
do-because we care about and can
positively support our communities.
With that impact in mind, we need
to hold onto our independence at
all costs. At the same time, we must
continue to look for opportunities to
level the playing field. We will persist
in lobbying for tiered regulation
because we should have less of a
compliance burden than a $3 trillion
bank. Advocacy matters, because it
will help to ensure a brighter future
for our communities-the future our
forefathers would have wanted.
Lucas White is president of The
Fountain Trust Company in
Covington, Ind.
Lucas White
Chairman, ICBA
" We need to
hold onto our
independence at
all costs. At the
same time, we must
continue to look
for opportunities
to level the
playing field. "
My Top 3
Favorite ways to celebrate
the Fourth of July
1. Going to the lake with our
family and dogs
2. Watching fireworks from
the pontoon boat
3. Grilling out
Happy Independence Day!
independentbanker.org // 7
Photo by Chris Williams
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - July 2024

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