8 Hoosier Banker September 2014 Dear Banking Colleagues: As a fourth-generation banker, my past is steeped in bank history. As vice president and director of The Fountain Trust Company, my present position keeps me busy. And as president of the Indiana Bankers Association’s Future Leadership Division, my future dovetails with IBA’s goal of preparing today’s bankers for tomorrow’s challenges. My banking history goes back to my great-grandfather William N. White, who traded in farming for law school after his wife, the story goes, vowed to never slop a hog again after spilling hog slop down her high-laced boot. As a result, he became a lawyer. It was during the Great Depression, pre-FDIC, and local attorneys handled the mechanics of bank closures. My great-grandfather became knowledgeable about banking and came to realize that, as long as banks make good loans, they will survive. His interest in banking increased, he bought shares in The Fountain Trust Company, and in 1940 he became bank president, at the age of 65. He continued until he passed away at age 90. Fast-forward to the present. My father Kip White, my brother Campbell and I have all followed in my greatgrandfather’s footsteps, as did my late grandfather, Luke White. We all became bankers – serving The Fountain Trust Company – and lawyers. Currently, as a banker, my responsibilities are asset liability management, interest-rate risk and investments. Because our bank has always operated conservatively, we keep our loan-to-deposit ratio at about 60 percent. As a lawyer, my main duties are in criminal defense, because I serve as Fountain County public defender. I’m also involved in our bank’s legalities, and I would say that a legal background comes in handy in banking. It helps in reading and interpreting regulations. My whole life, I knew I wanted to follow family tradition through banking and law. As a teenager I had some excellent bank training by serving as evening drive-up teller, then later learning operations in the computer room,. “Work hard, play hard” was (and is) my motto. I would do bank work 20 to 25 hours a week during the school year, then spend summers abroad. I managed to complete high school in three years, giving me the chance to spend a year traveling throughout Europe. Later, when I enrolled at Indiana University, I planned to pursue law school, so I had the freedom to study any topic for undergraduate work. I chose philosophy and Italian. As for my future, I intend to remain at The Fountain Trust Company. It has always been home, plus it must be the only bank in the world with its own bagpipe band: The Fountain Trust Pipe Band. It is actually a very good band, and my parents and brother all perform with it. My professional future includes the Indiana Bankers Association, because IBA has benefited me through networking and government relations (GR) opportunities. The more involved I have become, the more my focus has shifted away from “my bank, my career” to the banking industry as a whole. Currently I serve IBA as a member of the board of directors through my position as Future Leadership Division (FLD) president. FLD is now in a major growth phase, and our goals are to continue growth and visibility, to provide programs and products for the next generation of bankers, and to strengthen GR and grassroots connections. This fall FLD is hosting the second annual “Bridging Bankers, Building Leaders” conference, set for Oct. 29 and 30 at the Sheraton Indianapolis Hotel. What sets FLD apart is that it is geared not only for the next round of top bank leaders, but for all levels of future bank leadership. We welcome all motivated banking professionals who want to dedicate their careers to banking. In my personal life, my wife Sue and I are enjoying raising our two sons: Lyric, two-and-a-half, and Oliver, 11 months old. We live in a 150-year-old house that originally belonged to my great-grandfather, the one who started the banking/law tradition. Sue is yet another attorney in the family: She operates her own law firm and is director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in Fountain County. Sue and I have been together since first dating in high school. We celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary on Sept. 2. We both love to travel as far and wide as we can, and our hobbies include marathon running and statewide bike rides. Overall, I feel fortunate to have a grounded past, engaging present and focused future. Thank you for the opportunity to serve on the IBA board, and please keep the October FLD conference in mind for the emerging leaders in your institutions. Board Review Lucas White, IBA Future Leadership Division President The Fountain Trust Company, Covington ASSOCIATION UPDATE Lucas White, The Fountain Trust Company, Covington, shares why he is eager to attend the “Bridging Bankers, Building Leaders” conference of the Future Leadership Division – scheduled for Oct. 29-30 in Indianapolis. To view the video, click on the red arrow in Hoosier Banker Digital at www.indianabankers.org. Video Bonus
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