courage and commitment. In short, he challenged us: “The future of our industry is in our hands.” It was a great convention. I’ll cherish the trip and the fun we had, from the Hawaiian music to the picturesque beaches, oceanfront restaurants and shops, and even Brad and Derek doing the Hula. The ICBA is a great organization, serving as a champion for our industry. I encourage each of you to put a future ICBA Convention on your Before-I-Retire Bucket List. Closer to home, the VACB annual convention will be in Roanoke the weekend of October 1-3. Your board continues to work diligently on the Strategic Plan developed last August. Watch for updates in the weeks and months ahead. I’m inspired by the knowledge that our nation’s community banks play a critical role in our communities each and every day. As state banking leaders, your support and advocacy for community banking is invaluable and I am grateful for all you do to support our industry. Believe me, without us, life would look very different in the communities we serve. Mahalo, Jay Stafford 6 The CommunityBanker
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