Pub. 6 2016-2017 Issue 6

4 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 Time Flies When You Are Having Fun T ime flies when you are having fun. It is hard to be- lieve that this last year has gone by as quickly as it has. We have enjoyed a number of successes during this fiscal year, including supporting the successful Raise the Bar campaign, which should bring more discipline to the process of amending our state’s constitution going forward. Our new membership director is also off to a great start and has already added four new members to our association. We’ve had some surprises along the way, led by the out- come of the Presidential election and retention of the US Senate by the Republican party. This created a favorable environment for getting some form of reasonable, respon- sible reform through Congress. Unfortunately, dysfunction and obstructionism seems to have taken root for the near term. Both parties need to move beyond the past and find a way to work together. This will take real leadership on their part. As an industry, we need to continue to hold these politicians accountable for their actions and inactions. At the state legislature, we did not see the massive numbers of bad business bills that we were told to expect. While we needed to watch numerous bills, it was actually a fairly quiet year. An initial attempt at a compromise bill aimed at construction litigation reform was killed by the Speaker of the House, but hope remains for a revised version expected to be introduced in April. We believe the initial version would have passed, had the bill been given a fair opportunity to be heard on the house floor. This politicking further delays the prospects of Colo- rado’s lower income residents and first time homebuyers being able to own a home one day. It also will continue to allow liens against unsuspecting homeowners, which negatively impacts their ability to sell their homes when they need to do so. Other states have been able to properly address this issue, while balancing appropriate protections for consumers, and it is very disappointing that Colorado’s leadership is unable to do so. We need to keep working toward a reasonable solution for this important issue and hold our legislators accountable for their inability to resolve it appropriately. It has truly been an honor and privilege to represent the Colorado bankers. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your chairman. The Colorado Bankers Association has a wonderful and active Board. The association also has an incredible staff. They do so much on our behalf in a very efficient manner. It has been a pleasure working with them and seeing them effectively lobby for our industry. In addition, they are educating our next level of industry leaders through the Advocacy Program and other educa- tional programs. I am optimistic about the future here in Colorado, and I am hopeful that Washington can get past its current dysfunctional state to bring about the necessary reform to keep our industry moving forward and allowing our communities to thrive. n David Kelly FirstBank 2016-2017 CBA Chairman Chairman’s Message