Hoosier Banker 7 The Indiana Bankers Association has once again claimed a first with its 2021 Annual Washington Trip. When 50+ Hoosier bankers met in the nation’s capital in July, IBA was the first state bankers association this year to hold a DC trip in person. Since travel to Washington was curtailed in 2020, our presence was certainly felt. As in past Washington trips, we spent two full days meeting with representatives of the national bank trade associations, regulatory agencies and of course our congressional delegation. A couple of the agency meetings were virtual, but mostly we held meetings in person. A different setup this year, due to COVID-19, proved to be beneficial. Instead of us walking to meet with members of the Indiana delegation in their individual offices, they came to visit us in a large-space meeting room. Less walking time meant more talking time – and there was plenty to talk about. Topics on the agenda included credit unions, the Farm Credit System, FedNow payments, IRS reporting, interchange and electronic payments system, and banking relative to cannabis. We also covered the Enhancing Credit Opportunities in Rural America (ECORA) Act plus environmental, social and governance issues. Very encouraging is that our discussion on the need to close the industrial loan company loophole led to some positive momentum on the Hill. For anyone who wonders whether talking with lawmakers really makes a difference, it does! Legislators appreciate and rely on the insights of the banking community to help them dissect complex topics and work toward solutions. If you’ve never been on the IBA Annual Washington Trip, please prioritize it for 2022. You don’t have to be an expert on political strategy. Simply be yourself – a committed and caring professional with banking expertise. The IBA takes care of the rest. But don’t wait until next year to engage in grassroots advocacy. The IBA is continually providing opportunities that you can act on now. Every issue of IBA E-News is your chance to learn more about legislative topics, and every IBA action alert is your opportunity to make your voice heard. Take advantage of IBA’s assistance in advocating for banking. The time you spend in advocacy is an investment in the future of the industry. If you think you’re too busy now to speak out against onerous legislation and unwieldy regulations … imagine how your schedule will look if youdon’t. So thank you to Amber and the IBA team for making the 2021 DC trip another success. And thanks for taking us to the Washington Nationals ballgame. For me, relaxing at a ballpark with banking friends is a great ending to any trip. HB CHAIRMAN’S REPORT The Farmers Bank • @Mybankforlife • Aug. 4 As part of bank’s 145th Anniversary Pay it Forward Campaign, Jennie & Rhonda teamed up to provide a generous supply of bottled water to the CCBGC & books for Blue Ridge kindergarteners in Mrs. Miller’s class at Blue Ridge Elem. #communitybankingwithacapitalc #Mybankforlife Farmers State Bank • @GoFSB • July 29 FSB is pleased to announce a commitment of $300,000 to support our local school athletic programs. FSB is glad to be the #1 sponsor of area student athletes and we look forward to seeing the difference this sponsorship has on the communities we serve. Greenfield Banking Company • @GBCbank • July 29 Celebrating GBC Bank’s 150th has evolved and we’ve recognized a need to assist our 4 public school systems & by extension, the future leaders they’re educating. We’ve decided to gift $10,000 each to the county school foundations & are excited to see these gifts at work! German American Bank • @_GermanAmerican • July 8 German American Bank recently presented a check for $50,000 to the Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition. Learn more about SWICACC and how this donation will help them continue to build safer communities for children: https://brev.is/f4ns2 Merchants Bank of Indiana • @MerchantsBankIN • July 1 A huge shoutout to the volunteers from our MPACT event at @HorizonHouseIN. Our team scrubbed kitchens, organized hundreds of donations, sorted technology items, pulled weeds and helped with general cleanup. This group truly made an #MPACT by the end of the day! Follow IBA Twitter @indianabankers NOTABLE QUOTES Bank Community Service on Twitter Twitter Michael S. Zahn Chairman Indiana Bankers Association President and CEO First Federal Savings Bank, Huntington
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==