Pub. 1 2021 Issue 5

September 2021 | 11 the bank’s processes, and it’s difficult at times to help clients because you are limited in what you can do. I can’t always make people happy in community banking, but I can sit down with them eye to eye and help them more than I could otherwise. How did you start working at the Community Bank of Raymore? Bill McDaniel and his family own the bank. He and I had worked together at other banks going back to 1983 and had looked at buying a bank together, but I decided to stay where I was. We stayed in touch, though, and in 1999 he asked me whether I was ready to come back to work at a real bank. I was the National Credit Manager of Government Lending at Bank of America then. It was a good time to make a change in my life and move to Raymore. My family and my wife’s family were still in Independence, and we were happy to come back to the area. We have never regretted the decision. I should also mention that Bill and I and a group of investors started another bank in 2006, Community Bank of Pleasant Hill. In retrospect, it was probably the worst time since the Great Depression to open a new bank. We have been successful, though, due to the great team running the bank. Are there any specific individuals who had a significant impact on your career? How? There are so many people who have impacted my career, and it is impossible to name them all. George Lehr, Larry Janacaro, Gray Lewis, Jim Campbell, and Mike Brosnahan are just a few. I hope I don’t offend anyone I didn’t list. Bill McDaniel and his family obviously gave me the opportunity here at Community Bank of Raymore and Community Bank of Pleasant Hill. I probably can’t say enough about their impact on my career and life. What is the most rewarding part of your career? There are probably two things that stand out when I think about the most rewarding parts of my career. First, I enjoy watching people grow and become leaders in our bank and in the community. The second thing is watching the success of our clients over time. As bankers, we can learn a little about a lot of different businesses and people. Sometimes we can observe why someone is successful in business. On the flip side, sometimes we can observe why others are not successful. If you look back at your career and life, what are three things you have learned that you would share with someone you are mentoring? 1. Get as much formal, business-related education as you can if you want to be a banker. 2. Get involved in your community. Most communities are starved for leadership, and there are many opportunities for service, such as the church you attend, the chamber of commerce, and the Rotary Club. I love living and working in the same community. You get to know people, and it is so rewarding. 3. Focus on helping people as best you can. I always say tell people what you can do and not what you can’t do. What are your plans as the incoming MIBA president? Our board needs to work together to figure out how to deal with the challenges we are facing as an association. We have been successful in helping community banks in Missouri compete for 62 years. We want to make sure we continue to provide what our members need now and in the future. What are the most important issues currently facing the association? We all know the number of banks in our state and country continues to shrink. This trend is not likely to change. It places a strain on how to properly fund our association. On a national level, the regulatory environment poses somany threats, whether we talk about possible new reporting requirements or the threat to our franchises posed by credit unions or FinTechs. What do you see as the benefits of MIBA membership? The various training opportunities provided by the association are a key benefit. The exposure to new products and services through interactions with our vendors at events is another benefit. Maybe the biggest benefit is the interaction with other bankers and getting to learn from them how they are dealing with the same challenges we are all facing. Given that you are in the banking industry, what will the continuing impact of the pandemic be on banking? COVID-19 probably won’t go away. For banks that can deal with the pandemic in a commonsense way, it may create opportunities. There are so many people who have impacted my career, and it is impossible to name them all. Continued on page 12