Pub. 6 2016-2017 Issue 2

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G C O L O R A D A N S R E A L I Z E D R E A M S September • October 2016 5 Connect with your employees and future leaders of your organization. After all, these are the individuals that you trust with your current and future operations. They each represent a demographic, which will also change over time. They are also your customers. Listen to what they are telling you relative to their needs and the needs they hear from their connections. Leverage their abilities and challenge them to help move your organization forward. Investing in them is an investment in your future. They will rise to the challenge and help you effec- tively manage through the changing environment. Connect with those serving in public offices. I have been fortunate enough tomeet with a number of public officials over the years. Those interactions have providedme with invaluable insight into the changing legislative landscape. I recently had the privilege and honor of being able to host Congressman Scott Tipton for ABA’s Take Your Lawmaker to Work Day. Congressman Tipton represents Colorado’s 3rd Congressio- nal District. He is a small businessman, and has also served on a community bank’s board. He is a member of the House Financial Services Committee and introduced the TAILOR Act, which would require the financial regulatory agencies to scale their regulations to the relative size and complexity of the banking institutions they supervise. He understands the need for a vibrant banking industry, takes a common sense approach to legislation and regulation, and is working hard to bring the industry reasonable, responsible regulatory reform. We need to interact with our public officials on a regular ba- sis to ensure they understand the unintended consequences of legislation. Provide examples where overregulation stands in the way of serving your customers. I would encourage ev- eryone to participate in this program. Finally, connect with your family and friends. I saved the best and most important connections for last. In the digital age of never truly being disconnected from the office, it is im- perative that you take time out for yourself and just enjoy life. Sometimes being unplugged fromwork is just what the doctor ordered. It allows us to recharge our batteries. It can also allow us to take a step back and see the broader picture, which provides a clearer vision on the path that will take us forward. Our industry has always been able to adapt to rapid change. The banking industry has facedmany challenges over the years and will continue to do so in the present and future. The ability to adapt is critical, as a strong and vibrant banking industry is necessary to the economic success of the communities we serve. An organization that is able to navigate the changing landscape will be best positioned to serve its communities while also generating acceptable returns for its shareholders. I am proud to be a banker, especially a Colorado banker. I am optimistic for the future and believe we can evolve to meet the demands of a changing world. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your association’s Chair. It is a privilege and honor to represent you.  David Kelly First Bank CBA Chairman As the saying goes, the only thing that is constant is change. This has never been truer than it is today. We are in a rapidly changing environment frommany perspectives – demograph- ic, economic, political, and digital to name a few. Customer expectations are changing. New financial competitors with less regulation are entering themarket. Regulators continue to pile on regulations, many of which were dictated by Congress, while also struggling to figure out how these rules based-reg- ulations need to adapt in order to work in an evolving digital world. The pace of change is not expected to slow down for the foreseeable future. The banking industry has historically navigated change well. One thing I have been impressed with is how our indus- try connects with others. These connections provide us with valuable information that can direct us where we need to adapt in order to continue growing and helping our communities thrive. All resources are limited, and we need to leverage our resources to fullest extent in order to evolve into the banking organizations of tomorrow. Listen to your connections to hear where they need to go, and you will gain the knowledge necessary to evolve. Connect with your customers. Our industry does an ex- cellent job of meeting with and relating to our customers. No matter what business model we operate, our customers are the best source of information to govern how our organizations need to evolve over time. Listen to the collective voices of your customer base, and they will guide you where you need to go. Focusing on delivery channels where they want to be met and being able to deliver what they want at the time they need it will allow you to focus your resources for the mutual benefit of everyone. Connect the Changing Dots