James E. Brown EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE Montana is now well into the Spring months. Having grown up in Montana, this is one of the best times of the year to be a resident of the Treasure State. Spring sees the leaves returning to the trees, the grasses are greening up, bears are coming out of hibernation, and the roads into Glacier National Park are being plowed open. Spring 2022 finds MIB preparing to host its largest member benefit — the Annual MIB Convention and Tradeshow. The MIB Convention is slated for July 27 through July 29. The venue is the scenic Whitefish Lake Lodge located in Whitefish. We will be celebrating the Association’s 55th year. The theme of this year’s convention is “One Mission, Community Banks®,” a tagline used with permission from our national organization, ICBA. I cannot think of a more appropriate theme for our convention as the slogan reflects the reality that MIB is the only trade organization in Montana whose sole focus is to represent Montanabased community banks. MIB was formed in the late 1960s by Montana community bankers to promote the health of Montana’s community banks and enhance the welfare of Montana’s communities. MIB has successfully carried out that mission for over six decades. The importance of MIB’s work is being reinforced by events taking place on the national level; such events demonstrate on an almost daily basis there is a major distinction between the too-big-tofail banks and community banks. Since the financial crises of 20072009, the assets controlled by the largest 25 banks have grown by more than $5 trillion, resulting in a renewed threat to the soundness of our nation’s financial system. The federal government’s regulatory efforts to slow down the growth and influence of these institutions have had the perverse effect of imposing greater hardships on community banks, like yours, that were not the cause or source of the financial meltdown. I reference the federal government’s too-big-to-fail policies in this article discussing MIB’s state convention because such policies highlight the continued need for and importance of state community banking organizations, like MIB and its member banks. Community banks serve as the bulwark against dangerous over-concentration in the financial industry and as the frontline for maintaining consumer faith in the industry. To this end, our state convention continues to serve as the best opportunity for you to showcase your important services and find the strength to stand under regulatory pressure. We at MIB recognize what it means to be a Montana community bank and the pride you take in exemplifying Montana values. That is why we have always chosen to host MIB’s state convention at a location within Montana that is easily accessible to our member banks, our associate members, and our vendors. This year, as noted, the MIB convention will take place in Whitefish. Our convention program will focus on what makes Montana’s community banks unique. Because cryptocurrency training and information has been identified as one of MIB’s top needs, speaker Dr. Anthony Crawford will present on this topic. What is more, the Association is excited to announce that ICBA’s new chairman, Brad Bolton, will be joining us at the convention. This presents an opportunity for you to hear about what is happening at the federal level directly from the person who oversees ICBA’s policy and regulatory decision-making. In addition, the Association expects our trade show participation to be the largest it has ever been. This means that you and your banking staff will have ample opportunity to interact with a variety of service providers and to review the specialized services that help make your institution relevant and profitable. As usual, the convention activity favorites of golfing and whitewater rafting are available. The annual golf tournament will be held at Whitefish Lake Golf Club. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River will serve as the venue for your rafting adventure. And, of course, MIB will once again host the opening night cocktail reception, the ever-favorite Vendor Cocktail Reception, and the MIB-PAC Silent Auction. These events are designed to give you multiple opportunities to network with your peers in a professional and casual setting. We are pleased with the program we have put together for this year’s state convention. The Association has done its best to ensure that the event will offer you the timeliest education, relevant information, and beneficial trade opportunities possible. We have also made it easier to register for the convention, which can be done online at mibonline.org/convention. The MIB Board and staff look forward to seeing you in late July. We particularly look forward to renewing and strengthening MIB’s relationship with you, as such relationships help us carry out MIB’s sole mission — serving Montana’s community banks. 4 The Community Banker mibonline.org
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