Pub. 11 2022 Issue 3 7 conditions. Following lunch and a group photo, the class enjoyed a tour of the Fed. Dr. Bruce Morgan kicked off the afternoon sessions and gave a presentation “What’s the Future for Community Banks?” A distinguished urban banker panel made up of Mark Larrabee, President and CEO of Arvest Bank in Shawnee Mission; Dave Vander Veen, President of Freedom Bank in Overland Park; and Travis Hicks, CEO of TriCentury Bank in DeSoto, provided the class a look into their market space, and how they hire and retain the best talent. The group also talked about how they are competitors and resources to each other in the highly competitive marketplace of Kansas City. The afternoon at the Federal Reserve concluded with another panel discussion titled “Banking Meets Public Service.” Retired 47-plus years banker and State Senator Mike Fagg of El Dorado; Mike Boehm, SVP of Commerce Bank and Mayor of Lenexa; and Mark Kennedy, AVP & Trust Officer at Citizen’s State Bank & Trust in Ellsworth and former Mayor of Ellsworth talked about their respective offices and what it means to hold public office. They shared how the vast differences in the sizes of the cities they serve contribute to the challenges and rewards of being involved in their communities. They also encouraged the BLOK class to get involved in their communities to have an impact and to help cultivate the next generation of public servants. The final day kicked off at UMB Bank’s Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. UMB President & CEO Jim Rine welcomed the class and thanked them for visiting the bank. The class’s first speaker of the day was FDIC Regional Director James LaPierre, who talked about the FDIC’s regulatory priorities and took questions from the class on the current banking conditions and what he has seen in his seven state region. The class also heard from UMB Senior Financial Analyst John McQueen about the interest rate environment. The last speaker of the day was Retired Army Colonel and State Representative Chris Croft of Overland Park, who gave a presentation on leadership and what he learned and taught as the Director of the Center for Army Leadership at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. For Session III, the class will head to Wichita in July to continue their training before going to Washington D.C. with KBA’s Federal Affairs Committee in September. Thanks to BLOK Sponsors: INTRUST Bank, N.A., KBA Insurance, Inc., Professional Bank Consultants, LLC, and Bankers’ Bank of Kansas. Ted Garnett actively engages the BLOK Class with specific leadership lessons. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President & CEO Esther George welcomes the 2022 BLOK Class. FDIC Kansas City Regional Director James LaPierre discussed the agency’s priorities.
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