8 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2018 June 25 was my first day on the job as your new vice president-government relations. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve you, and I appre- ciate that I had the chance to meet many of you at the Indiana Bankers Association regional meetings. Having worked in government relations the last eight years, I knew that the IBA had an outstanding reputation. Meeting IBA members showed me why. I learned that IBA members are committed and engaged, particularly in grassroots advocacy. It’s a pleasure to work with professionals who understand so well the importance of legislation and its impact on day-to-day business. Soon I hope to meet more of you. As of this writing, I’m looking forward to attending the IBA Annual Convention and the IBA Annual Washington Trip. I’ve heard about the continued success of both of these events, and I’m eager to experience them firsthand, especially advocacy on Capitol Hill. Advocacy has always been part of my professional life. Most recently I served the Indiana Utility Shareholders Association as executive director. I joined that organization in 2014 to broaden my career trajectory into the administrative side of association work, while at the same time engaging in lobbying. Working as executive director gave me a chance to develop skills in areas that were new for me, such as budgeting, board governance, tax filings, payroll – all of the administrative areas that keep an association afloat. I appreciated the chance to gain management experience, while continuing legislative work. Prior to that position, my focus was purely on advocacy. I served for nearly four years with the Indiana Association of Realtors, first as grassroots manager, then as government affairs director. My work with the Realtors resembled much of what I’m doing now in service to you at the IBA. Both the Indiana Association of Realtors and the Indiana Bankers Association are advocacy-driven organizations, with attention paid to related areas, including political action committees, relationships with policymakers and engaging members in grassroots advocacy. The grassroots portion may be the most meaningful, because legislators sincerely appreciate hearing from their constituents. Another similarity is that professionals in both real estate and banking are entrenched in their communities. Real estate agents sell homes by selling the community – schools, shopping, transportation, etc. – and for that reason understand the importance of providing community support. It’s the same with bankers. Business developments take root and flourish in communities that thrive. Bankers support the economic development process by supporting the communities they serve. Because of the nexus between real estate and banking, I had the chance to get to know Amber Van Til and Dax Denton while I was representing Realtors at the Statehouse. Seeing Amber and Dax at work – and noticing how respected they were by legislators and lobbyists alike – made it easy for me to want to come work at the IBA. My first real job straight out of college was as a legislative assistant for the House of Representatives. In this role, I was assigned three state representatives to assist. My responsibilities included answering inquiries from constituents, tracking legislation, and staffing the House Insurance committee. Serving as a legislative assistant often is a springboard into the lobbying profession. Advocacy was clearly the right choice for me, because I’ve stayed with it ever since. I’m active with the Government Affairs Society of Indiana, currently serving as vice president, scheduled to take on the role of president in 2019. Most people who choose advocacy as a profession enjoy competition, and that trait fits me. Not surprisingly, I also enjoy competing in sports – all sorts of sports – but I especially gravitate toward individual sports. I enjoy the challenge of striving to beat your personal best. One of my favorite sports is golf. I played on my high school golf team in Lima, Ohio, and later at the college level. I also enjoy cycling and have dabbled a bit in racing. The best part of my personal life is sharing it with my girlfriend, Maddie, and our two rescue dogs, Chloe and Aggie. The dogs are not related, but they both seem to be a Labrador/shepherd/retriever mix. Maddie spent a lot of time working with Chloe, who had a rough time early in life and, thanks to Maddie’s kindness and patience, has come a long way. Today, both dogs are healthy and well-adjusted. Finally, I’m very happy to be part of the IBA team. This Association is a great fit for me – it’s a busy place, with a focus on setting goals, mapping out action plans, and making things happen. Thank you for welcoming me here. I am eager to serve you to the best of my ability. HB Eric J. Augustus Vice President-Government Relations Indiana Bankers Association eaugustus @indianabankers.org STAFF SELECTION IBA Branch Management Program Four bankers completed the IBA Branch Management Program in August. Shown from left are: Meg Waddell, Lake City Bank, Warsaw; Amber Carroll, First Farmers Bank & Trust Company, Converse; Taylor Weigle, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Boswell; and Kim Phillips, German American Bank, Jasper.
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