30 Hoosier Banker January 2016 FEATURE In this New Year, as I assume my responsibilities as new president and chief executive officer of the American Bankers Association and look ahead to all the challenges and opportunities facing our industry, there’s one thing that I’m especially grateful for: the alliance that ABA has forged over the years with our 53 state association partners. I have worked in Washington long enough to know how critically important ‒ and sometimes rare ‒ such effective, nationwide alliances are. And there is no doubt that they provide a strategic and tactical advantage for any lobbying organization lucky enough to boast one. That’s why the day I was named ABA’s next CEO last spring, the first thing I did was pick up the phone and personally call each state association executive. In these conversations, I had the opportunity to listen to the priorities, concerns and aspirations of the people that I will have the privilege of working closely with in the coming days, months and years. My message to them, and to you, is simple: as we fight for the common goals of regulatory relief for our industry and a fair playing field for banks in the face of growing nonbank competition, we must all ‒ community banks and large institutions alike ‒ stand together as one. A unified industry is essential for success in Washington. We’ve all witnessed the difficult realities of getting meaningful legislation through Congress. Lawmakers face too many demands from too many different areas to worry about bankers if we all disagree. The responsibility lies with us to focus on the things we have in common and the ways that we can work together to elevate our industry and strengthen our economy ‒ and ABA’s partnership with the state associations is indispensable to finding that unified focus. With such a diverse industry, building consensus can be a challenge, but it is both doable and worth doing. ABA and the state associations together represent the full range of banks ‒ institutions of different asset sizes, business models and charters ‒ that help American businesses, consumers and communities succeed. Each member of our diverse industry plays a critically important role in the financial ecosystem, making our economy stronger and our country’s banking sector the envy of the world. That impresses policymakers. It makes them want to know where we stand, and it helps them understand the implications of their policy decisions. Our partnership with the state associations is not only critical to creating unity, it also produces a muscular response when grassroots action is needed. Effective advocacy organizations need both strong fundraising and boots on the ground in every congressional district. State associations deliver that. They have been the key to making BankPac a top-10 PAC, and between our joint Washington visit program and the annual Government Relations Summit, they bring more than 2,000 bankers to the nation’s capital every year for face-toface meetings with policymakers. So as we roll up our sleeves and get to work on our priorities for 2016, I’m thankful for many things. I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead ABA as we navigate through whatever challenges the future has in store. I’m thankful for the strong alliance with our state associations that will help us remain unified as an industry and achieve our common goals. And most of all, I am thankful for all of you ‒ for everything you have done and continue to do to help us succeed. t Standing Together for a Strong Industry About the Author Robert S. Nichols is president and chief executive officer of the American Bankers Association. He joined the ABA in August 2015, following 10 years of service as president and CEO of the Financial Services Forum, a non-partisan financial and economic policy organization. Prior to joining the Forum, Nichols was assistant secretary of the Treasury for Public Affairs, a position requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate, and he also oversaw the Office of Public Liaison. Nichols is a recipient of the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Previously Nichols’ career highlights included service as communications director for the Electronic Industries Alliance; as a senior aide on Capitol Hill, where he was communications director to U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton and Press Secretary to the late Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn; and in the West Wing as an aide in the Office of the Chief of Staff in the George H.W. Bush administration. Nichols serves as a member of the board of trustees of the National Presbyterian School and as vice chair of the board of directors of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). He is a graduate of The George Washington University. The author can be reached at: nichols@aba.com.
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