December 23, 2020

The Kansas Bankers Association launched their virtual 2020 Annual Conference for Lenders on October 1. KBA Chairman Jonathon Johnson kicked things off with a welcome message, sponsor recognition and introductions, then turned things over to Joe Micallef from Grow UP Sales for his presentation called Are You a Quoting Machine or a Trusted Advisor? Joe shared that as a lender, the job wasn’t simply to quote interest rates but to be a valuable finance partner who helps your clients achieve their goals.

Despite the turmoil experienced this year, we choose to focus on the positives that have arisen, such as the opportunity to learn. Throughout 2020, we’ve all had to learn resiliency, creativity and how to “pivot” on any given day in ever-changing circumstances.

After months of planning and preparation — and if we’re being honest, a little angst — Americans went to the polls in record numbers in early November to cast their votes in presidential, state and local races. The contest topping the ticket was one of the most high-profile and most contentious presidential races in recent memory.

As the final days of 2020 draw to a close, I believe it’s important to reflect upon this very tumultuous year and ask ourselves an important question: In the face of this historic pandemic, did we accomplish our mission? Answering that question begins by reviewing KBA’s mission statement: