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:

Together we support our member banks and bankers with leadership, advocacy and education to benefit the communities and customers they serve.

Just like you, your KBA staff team was forced to adapt and overcome when the first wave of the coronavirus took hold back in early March. Following the lead of Kansas bankers, who were deemed essential workers by state and federal regulators, the KBA has remained open for business throughout this crisis. We worked diligently to serve as a lifeline for Kansas bankers who were, in turn, doing everything in their power to support and assist their customers and communities. We also learned (just as you have) to harness a virtual world for meetings and events, and we’ve learned to disseminate information timelier and more efficiently to you: our customers. Once again, we simply followed your lead and kept working; we kept grinding because our mission of supporting our member banks gave us a collective and meaningful purpose.

I want to thank KBA’s Board of Directors, our Division Boards, and our many KBA committees for the incredibly important work they continued under difficult circumstances this past year. In spite of this unprecedented roller-coaster ride, Kansas bankers have kept your association moving forward. Significant progress was made this past year on several strategic planning objectives, including strengthening KBA’s political muscularity during the recent elections that saw an unprecedented number of pro-banking candidates elected to serve in the Kansas Statehouse. I’m also extremely proud to report a steadily increasing number of Kansas banks (117 and growing) that are benefiting from the legal and compliance assistance provided by KBA’s Kansas Bankers Consulting Services.

We have also made great strides in preparing a statewide industry image campaign that will reach every corner of Kansas in 2021. This campaign will tell the positive story of our industry and it will highlight the role of our association to the policymakers, business and civic leaders, as well as the general public. A snapshot of the principles that will guide the messaging for this campaign is provided below:

Banker Driven: The Kansas Bankers Association provides a meaningful point of difference by being banker driven. The decisions made by the association are always made with its membership in the forefront. Membership can trust that the organization is acting in their best interest because the membership is leading the action. With 98% participation in the association, the representation is an accurate reflection of Kansas banks. All voices are heard because nearly every voice participates.

Financial Viability: The banks of Kansas are all facing the same challenges. Shifting consumer habits, competition from outside traditional banks, regulatory climate and taxation all affect the banks’ ability to operate and maintain financial stability. Sacrifices to service is not an option, so member banks must seek other means to improve their performance. Kansas Bankers Association provides the answer to this need through its catalog of support services. The benefits of membership with the Kansas Bankers Association extend the banks’ abilities to focus on their most important function, serving their communities. Members know that the KBA can help them alleviate the duress from outside influences.

Connecting Connectors: The banks in Kansas connect the fabric of our communities. At the heart of nearly every success story in Kansas is a bank that was willing to help. The banks of Kansas connect the dreamers and doers of the state with the resources they need to make things happen. The KBA connects member banks with the resources and network they need to remain an essential part of the lives of the communities they serve.