Sept. 8-10 marked the KBA Young Bank Officers of Kansas (YBOK) Annual Conference, held live for the first time since 2019. The conference was held at the Drury Plaza Hotel Broadview in Wichita, Kansas, where over 100 bankers and associate members attended from across the state. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has decimated in-person events and gatherings for over a year, the KBA staff was excited to welcome attendees to fun and educational networking events and activities.
Wednesday, Sept. 8, kicked off with the Corporate Citizenship Effort Event, where the YBOK Board visited INTRUST Bank in Wichita to welcome the Jobs for America’s Graduates-Kansas (JAG-K) students. JAG-K is a nonprofit that partners with public schools to offer an elective class to provide academic and other positive supports, ensuring students earn their diplomas by exploring career opportunities and practicing soft skills. As a result, students are prepared to transition to post-secondary education, military service, or the workforce following their graduation. The students listened to YBOK President Derek Bailey (Great Western Bank, Shawnee) and YBOK Vice President Grant Paitz (INTRUST Bank, Wichita) talk about their experiences working in the industry and why students should look for careers in banking. The students also had the opportunity to hear from INTRUST Bank President Jay Smith and Chief Human Resources Officer Jeff Morris discuss necessary qualities for prospective employees. They also shared stories on how they arrived where they are today.
The YBOK Welcome Reception started Wednesday evening at the new Riverfront Stadium to watch the Wichita Wind Surge take on the Northwest Arkansas Naturals in the Emprise Bank Pavilion.
YBOK President Derek Bailey opened the conference Thursday, Sept. 9, with welcoming comments and introductions. Next, he invited KBA Board Chairman Mike Ewy, CEO of Community State Bank in Coffeyville, to say a few words about his upcoming term as Chairman. Chairman Ewy thanked all for attending and shared what an important role the Young Bank Officers of Kansas group plays in the future of the Kansas banking industry.
The opening keynote speaker was Kristen O’Shea, who presented “Increasing Your Self Awareness.” Kristen increases the performance of individuals and teams through Gallup CliftonStrengths, engagement, and well-being with her company O’Shea Strengths Coaching. She also serves as a Kansas State Senator for District 18 in the Topeka area. Kristen acted as a spotlight, shining a beam onto areas attendees may not know are already strong and how they can hold on to great potential. The group went through a process of self-diagnosis of their most positive and promising traits and were asked, “What if you knew how to be more influential to be your best self more often?”
Next up was Julian Alcazar from the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City to talk about “The Consumerization of Payments.” His research focuses on consumer protection, financial technology, and payments systems. He spoke about as businesses look to increase revenues, payments have become a lucrative source.
The morning session ended with the Coach and the Cowboy: Brandon Clark, Head Coach of the Derby High School Football Program, and Kevin Chase, retired Chairman and CEO of Verus Bank in Derby, with their presentation, “The One Degree Compass: Unifying Through Culture.” Guests learned about the culture program they developed, which is unifying their Derby community. Their culture is influenced by Coach Clark’s experience playing at Kansas State University and Kevin’s experience being raised on a Kansas cattle ranch with a career in leading a dynamic community bank.
During their working lunch, YBOK President Derek Bailey and KBA SVP-Government Relations presented a $1,500 check of funds raised from conference attendees to Chuck Knapp, CEO of JAG-K. YBOK’s Corporate Citizenship Efforts help raise funds from those attending the conference to help out a nonprofit and show the collective banker support for those deserving in our state.
“JAG-K is doing fantastic work within our school districts already. The Young Bank Officers of Kansas recognizes the work they’re doing, and we see them as partners who we can work with to invest in young people,” Alex Orel said. “Workforce development is a serious issue for all industries, not just banking. We see ourselves as part of the team to help prepare the next generation to pursue their dreams.”
Afternoon sessions kicked off with Tyler Walden, YBOK Board Member from Allen, Gibbs & Houlik, L.C. (AGH), moderating the CEO Panel with Alex Williams from The Halstead Bank and Brad Elliott from Equity Bank. Williams and Elliott shared their stories on why they decided to make a career in banking and what advice they could give to the young bankers of the conference. Walden asked a range of questions on topics such as seeing any benefit from the current administration pushing an aggressive IRS reporting agenda and why these reporting requirements have become more of a concern for the federal government. They also gave their opinions about what they think needs to be done industry-wide to improve the public’s image of the banking industry.
KC Mathews, EVP/Chief Investment Officer from UMB, was next up with his Economic Update presentation on the current economy and outlook as we recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic. KC talked about GDP growth, inflation, and risks that bankers need to look for moving forward.
The last speaker of the day was keynote speaker Alex Weber, American Ninja Warrior, with “The Positive Energy Edge: The Key to Record-Breaking Achievement in Any Season.” Attendees learned they need a reliable way to avoid living and working in Unproductive Energy, where stress is high, solutions seem limited, mistakes are repeated, and perceived challenges only grow stronger. The Positive Energy Edge is a way for them to learn a timeless strategy that allows them to be, achieve and lead at their very best.
The conference ended with a barbecue, snowcones and exotic animals at Tanganyika Wildlife Park and a golf tournament Friday at MacDonald Golf Course. The 2022 YBOK Annual Conference is scheduled for Sept. 14-16 in Manhattan.
