14 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2019 in a university in the state of Indiana. “Banking has been such a good life for me, and I see the same for other bankers. I would think more people would want to come into banking.” You’ve been quoted as saying, ‘All you’ve got is people.’ What does that mean? “That’s what it’s all about. Whether they’re employees or customers or friends, it’s all about people, so choose to treat them nicely. “Everybody has their little quirks, but I enjoy people, and you learn so much from them. If you just sit down and listen, they’ll tell you their story, they’ll tell you their problems, they’ll tell you their experiences. It’s all interesting to me. “I don’t remember names really well, but I remember people and faces. I’ve met some incredible people.” HB “At our bank, we have some young bankers who have just started with us, and they are stars. They have enthusiasm, and they’re quick learners. We’re lucky to have them. “Now with the merger, I’ve been getting phone calls from other bankers wanting to know if some of our people are being released, because they want to pick them up. That goes back to the value of networking through the IBA, and it shows that there’s a need for good bankers in the state of Indiana.” What is the value to you of the IBA? “I enjoy going to the IBA functions, because we can talk about things. We don’t give names, but we can talk about our like experiences in CEO roundtables, or at IBA functions. We can discuss what’s happened to us and ask, ‘How would you handle this?’ We can all learn from all these experiences. “Indiana bankers are probably one of the nicest bunch of people you can meet. Yes, we make mistakes, and we sometimes make a wrong decision. At the same time, look how strong Indiana is, and look how strong our banking system is, and look at the camaraderie. Everyone is approachable.” What are your goals as 2019 IBA chairman? “We need to carry on the banking major initiative with the schools, because there’s been good progress. I would love to see a banking track available to students, so that when they graduate, they’ve already got many of the needed skills. “They’ll be able to come right into a banking environment, whether it’s with a small bank or big bank. They won’t need much additional training, because they’ll already understand some basic concepts and regulations. “At the Annual Convention last fall, I was talking with several others about Clay’s initiative. They all agreed that it’s important and necessary for our industry to establish a banker’s program Rhonda and Andrew Briggs enjoy traveling and are shown dining in a steakhouse in Tampa, Florida. Andrew Briggs has fond childhood memories. In this undated photo, a young Andrew watches as his grandparents make sausage in their basement. Andrew Briggs is corporate secretary of Limberlost State Historic Site, dedicated to the legacy of Gene Stratton-Porter, 1900s naturalist and author. Stratton-Porter was married to Charles Porter, who co-founded the Bank of Geneva with several investors, including A.G. Briggs, Andrew’s great grandfather.
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