KBA officers had the opportunity to capture a moment with Congressman LaTurner. Pictured (L-R) are KBA Vice-Chairman Julie Hower, President/CEO of Farmers and Drovers Bank in Council Grove; KBA Chairman Mark Schifferdecker, President/CEO of GNBank in Girard; Congressman LaTurner; and KBA ChairmanElect Gene Dikeman, President/CEO of Bank of the Plains in Hutchinson. U.S. Congressman Jake LaTurner of the 2nd District offered his insights on the impending budget crisis and reiterated his support for the Kansas Bankers Association’s legislative priorities. Congressman Ron Estes (4th District) discussed a host of KBA-supported initiatives in the Capitol Visitor Center meeting space and offered his insights on the difficulties of finding consensus on the government’s budget. KBA President/CEO Doug Wareham moderated a panel featuring (seated) Braden Dreiling, Chief of Staff to Congressman LaTurner, and James Kelly, Chief of Staff to Senator Moran. They discussed the role of a Chief of Staff, communication strategies and their career paths in D.C. Ryan Gilliland (standing), Vice President with FHLBank Topeka, sponsored the panel. Congressman Tracey Mann (1st District) discussed issues important to the banking industry as well as shared his insights into the upcoming Farm Bill with bankers from Kansas’ Big First. Congressman Mann is a member of the House Agricultural Committee, which will be putting the Farm Bill together. The 2023 KBA BLOK class took a memorable photo at the ABA’s new office building during Monday night’s reception, capturing a breathtaking view. The itinerary continued Wednesday when this group of nearly 60 dedicated bankers visited Capitol Hill. Their discussions spanned a range of critical issues, including the ACRE Act, the Credit Card Competition Act, the potential repeal of Section 1071 Small Business Reporting, and the SAFE Banking Act, among others. The journey concluded with an evening reception held at the Mayflower Hotel, open to all members of the Kansas Congressional Delegation and their respective staff. 7
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODQxMjUw