INSIDE THIS ISSUE PO Box 1765 Jefferson City, MO 65102 (573) 636-2751 | miba.net Editor: MATTHEW S. RUGE Executive Director ©2025 The Missouri Independent Bankers Association (MIBA) | The newsLINK Group LLC. All rights reserved. The Show-Me Banker is published six times per year by The newsLINK Group LLC for MIBA and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review, consideration and education. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of MIBA, its board of directors or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. The Show-Me Banker is a collective work, and as such, some articles are submitted by authors who are independent of MIBA. While a first-print policy is encouraged, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at (855) 747-4003. Published for the Missouri Independent Bankers Association 4 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Celebrating Community Banking 5 Community Banking Month 6 FLOURISH Amplifying the Community Bank Difference 7 FROM THE TOP Translating Advocacy Into Action 8 A Background On Casey Hopkins President of Bank of Old Monroe 10 Fraud Task Force 11 LEGAL EAGLE SPOTLIGHT Clearing the Hurdles to Financing an Acquisition Tips for Successfully Financing Acquisitions 14 MIBA/ICBA Executive Leadership Pre‑Conference 2025 Louisville, Kentucky 16 ICBA LIVE 2025 Nashville, Tennessee 17 MIBA Lobbying Report 18 Leadership Division at the Blues Enterprise Center, St. Louis February 6, 2025 20 MEET YOUR MISSOURI BANKER Amy Stark Jr. Loan Officer/Branch Deposit Supervisor, Preferred Bank 22 Concepts and Facts ChatGPT Gets it Mostly Right on Yield Curve Shapes 24 MU Agricultural Lenders School Equips Early Career Lenders 25 News From You 26 2024-25 MIBA PAC Honor Roll March 1, 2025 27 2025 Upcoming Events 27 MIBA Endorsed Vendors 28 MIBA Associate Members 30 Upcoming Webinar Schedule 18 7 20 24 The Show-Me Banker Magazine | 3
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