Independent Banker - June 2017 - 5

From the Chairman
By Scott Heitkamp, chairman of ICBA
ICBA: Making community
banking great again
W
hen I came on board as ICBA chairman,
I had no idea that part of that
honor would involve handing President
Donald Trump and Vice President Mike
Pence " Make Community Banking Great Again "
ball caps in front of more than 100 community
bankers in the White House Kennedy garden.
Some things in life you just can't dream up!
That's exactly what happened when ICBA
chairman elect Tim Zimmerman, vice chairman
Preston Kennedy, president and CEO Cam Fine
and I shook hands with President Trump and
Vice President Pence after their remarks at the
White House meeting that kicked off the 2017
ICBA Capital Summit last month.
In the exclusive meeting with ICBA, the
president, the vice president, NEC director Gary
Cohn and Small Business Administration chief
Linda McMahon, Trump said his administration
is focused on addressing regulatory burdens to
help community banks lend to small businesses.
This was music to my ears! It was also sweet
music to the community bankers and ICBA staff
who were at the meeting, and the thousands of
community bankers who were there with us in
spirit. Finally: recognition for what community
banks do for this great nation, and a battle
cry from the president of the United States to
deliver us from the regulatory burdens that keep
us from doing even more for our communities.
But that was just the start. At the Capital
Summit, House Financial Services Committee
chairman Jeb Hensarling also espoused the
importance of community banks and said Congress
" will throw a deregulatory life preserver to
save our community banks. "
The following day, Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnuchin voiced his support for the community
banking cause during his Q&A with Cam. Again,
I'm not dreaming this up. It all really happened.
The wind is in our sails, and it's up to us
to continue to sail, even when the waters get
treacherous. We are getting somewhere, and
it's thanks to your hard work, perseverance and
tireless advocacy. You have been the difference
makers. Thank you for all you do.
Speaking of difference makers, I cannot even
begin to show my gratitude to one of our biggest
difference makers: Cam Fine. As if our Capital
Summit weren't already making headlines, Cam
sent shockwaves through the audience and press
when he announced his intention to retire in
May 2018 after what will be 15 years at the helm.
I think we community bankers can agree that
Cam has been a tireless advocate for this great
industry, giving his career, talents and passion
to a cause that he believes in so deeply. He has
done so much for our industry and has set us on
a path for success. I thank him and wish him all
the best over the next year.
I know we will be well served by Cam's successor,
ICBA immediate past chairman Rebeca
Romero Rainey, chairman and CEO of Centinel
Bank of Taos, N.M. She is a fantastic leader who
will take this industry into the next generation
with her talent, enthusiasm and energy.
I'm deeply honored to have served with Cam
and know that ICBA and its community bank
members will be in the best of hands as he and
Rebeca lead ICBA into the future.
R. Scott Heitkamp is president and
CEO of ValueBank Texas in Corpus
Christi. Follow him on Twitter at
@sheitkamp.
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Independent Banker - June 2017

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