Pub. 9 2020 Issue 6

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:

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.

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.

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.

The 2020 Economic Outlook and Risk Management Conference broke new ground by going virtual this year. On Wednesday, Nov. 4, KBA Chairman Jonathon Johnson welcomed over 100 attendees with his opening remarks and sponsor recognition. He also introduced the KBA’s new mascot, Flint! KBA members will begin seeing the new buffalo icon on our publications, our website and at our events.

The 2020 KBA Trust Conference had its first-ever virtual conference. This year’s program once again had a phenomenal speaker line-up over the course of two mornings. We also had several of our valued sponsors join in on making this a very successful virtual experience.

YBOK President Brian Whitesell (Landmark National Bank) welcomed everyone to the conference and thanked this year’s sponsors. Whitesell then introduced the YBOK Board and turned the mic over to KBA Board Chairman Jonathan Johnson. Jonathan gave a KBA update about the work that has been done to address our strategic plan. He also discussed the importance of being engaged in the political process and being leaders not only in their institution but also in their community.

The Kansas Legislature is set to convene in Topeka on Monday,
Jan. 11, and all indicators are showing that they are planning to hit the ground running when they do return. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 legislative session was abruptly cut short, with many significant pieces of legislation left on the table that will need to be addressed in the upcoming session. This legislation also includes KBA’s tax equity legislation that passed with strong bi-partisan support but was vetoed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly with no chance to override since it was passed on the last day of the session.

In the early 2000s, Major League Baseball underwent a seismic change. Billy Beane, general manager of the small-market Oakland Athletics, realized that a team wins games by producing runs, and runs only come when players get on base. For decades, baseball teams had judged the value of a batter by his batting average and ability to hit home runs.

Businesses of all types use third-party platforms to enable the discovery and distribution of their products. Small businesses use platforms like Amazon and eBay to source customers and sell their products.

What budget is the first to get slashed in an economic downturn? As we all know, it’s marketing. As a former ad agency guy, I have lived through many a downturn. We always knew that when times started to get tough, we were the first to lose our jobs. And, when times began to improve, we were always the last to return to work. There’s an old agency metaphor for spending money in a downturn. We said it was “like shooting at ducks that aren’t there.” Well, right now, a lot of banks are looking to save their No. 2 Steel for another day.

Well, maybe it used to be the question, but it is no longer a question to be asked. Scanning your network is an essential part of your security protocol to ensure that customer information is secured. So, since I need to scan my systems for vulnerabilities, where do I start?

The Kansas Bankers Association is pleased to announce its endorsement of Shred-it for their information destruction services. As the world leader in information security, Shred-it offers an integrated suite of services designed to protect sensitive information.

Frank York Set to Retire
After serving nearly 45 years at Stockgrowers State Bank in Ashland, Frank York has decided to retire at the end of the year. Frank has dedicated his entire banking career to Stockgrowers, beginning on March 15, 1976. Frank has had an outstanding career, serving as executive vice president since 2007.