Hoosier Banker 9 Much work took place behind the scenes from IBA members/staff plus the academic community to realize this achievement. It generally takes much longer to initiate a college-level concentration, but with determination this goal was met quickly. We all know how good it feels when our banks contribute to our communities. This feeling is now statewide, as the full Indiana banking community is helping to make a difference in bringing the best and brightest of talent to the world of banking. Yes, I believe banking should be simple. There is so much that community banks do to support shareholders, depositors and employees. Now, with the establishment of a banking concentration in Indiana, our group efforts are going further to support the future of the industry. Thank you to Clay Ewing, my predecessor as IBA chairman, for his vision in helping to make this banking concentration possible. And thank you to the members of the IBA, who have helped to bring this vision into view. HB NOTABLE QUOTES Bank Community Service on Twitter First Financial Bank • @BankAtFirst • June 4 In #Indiana alone, 1 million people - including 1 in 5 kids - don’t know where they’ll get their next meal. Our Indy team recently spent the day with @MMealMovement packing meals for fellow #Hoosiers in need & organizing the warehouse. #givefirst #bankatfirst #fighthunger Farmers & Merchants State Bank • @FMStBank • June 3 On Friday we went “Casual for a Cause!” For a small donation to a local charity, F&M employees could wear jeans. We are happy to say that we raised $1220.00 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)! #ronaldmcdonaldhouse #casualforacause 1st Source Bank • @1stSourceBank • May 21 Another great Women Build in the books. Thank you to our team members who gave their time and muscle this weekend, and thank you Habitat for Humanity for your impact on our community! Citizens State Bank • @CSB_Indiana • May 14 We’ve partnered with Orangetheory Fitness Fishers - Nickel Plate to support @augiesquest in the quest to find treatments and cures for #ALS. To learn how you can help, stop by Orangetheory or our Fishers location. West End Bank • @WestEndBank • May 3 We’re having a bake sale! In order to raise funds for the @AmericanCancer and @RelayForLife, West End employees are selling paint themed treats for this year’s Relay For Life: Colors of Hope! Follow IBA Twitter @indianabankers Twitter Andrew J. Briggs Chairman Indiana Bankers Association First Senior Vice President for Business Development Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Archbold, Ohio CHAIRMAN’S REPORT Building Better Bankers” was the theme of this year’s Indiana Bankers Association Mega Conference, as detailed in this issue. Mega 2019 marked another successful event for the Association, bringing in around 1,250 attendees. Indiana bankers come together to many IBA educational events year-round in order to become better bankers. In addition to professional development, though, the next question is, how do you build a better bank? Each bank is unique, so there is no single answer to how to build a better bank, but I’ve long been a believer that banking should be simple. The fundamental formula is: Take in deposits for a reasonable amount of interest return to the customer; at the same time, lend out those funds at a reasonable rate to your customers. All the while, you “live in the middle of it,” keeping expenses low, so you can earn a solid return. It’s even simpler if you know your bank, your people and your customers. That might mean becoming a niche bank to serve a niche within your community. It’s important to identify what each bank does best. Banking is a sort of a circulatory system for the economy. We have to be careful because if we are too restrictive in the flow of capital, we inhibit growth. If we are too lax, we experience false growth that is unsustainable. This banking/circulatory system needs nurturing and constant monitoring. We all walk this fine line between being overly aggressive in lending and under aggressive in lending. Throughout my years in banking, I’ve learned a lot, to a large extent through the IBA. I particularly appreciate the time I’ve spent at the CEO roundtables that the IBA hosts. There are so many good ideas at those roundtables gleaned from bankers around the state. It’s a chance to learn what others are doing in their shops, so that we can all build better banks. We’re in the business of making people’s dreams come true. Sometimes those dreams aren’t realistic, and then we have to say no … but we prefer to say yes. We want people to realize their dreams. There’s a sense of pride in seeing customers flourish, because we’re partners of sorts with the people we serve. If they fail, we feel like we fail a little bit with them. If they succeed, we know we helped along the way. In the end, building a better bank means rising to the responsibility of being good stewards. As bankers, we get to be community leaders and facilitators, helping to build not only a better bank, but a better community. That’s why banking is one of the most rewarding careers anyone can pursue. In light of banks’ building better communities, please be sure to turn to page 22 to read about IBA’s success with helping to create a first in Indiana: the establishment of a banking concentration at Purdue University Northwest. Recently the IBA and member banks presented a check for $135,000 to PNW in support of this initiative.
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