Pub. 1 2012 Issue 6

22 l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s Relationship Management O ne thing I often hear is how banking is a relationship business. You strive to get to know your customers, understand their needs and provide them with solutions. These relationships, with proper care and nurtur- ing, can be managed and grown. With your help and expertise, a small manufacturer today might become a regional force tomorrow. That’s not just good for the manufacturer and your bank. It’s also good for your community. These customer relationship manage- ment, or CRM, principles apply equally to lawmakers, who have proven their ability to impact your bank’s bottom line. Relationships with your elected representatives must be grown and nurtured. This is the heart of grass- roots political advocacy, and it requires patience and perseverance. Helping bankers succeed at it is one of the primary goals of our revamped Banker Advocacy and Grassroots Committee. We announced this new committee at our recent Summer Leadership Meeting in Chicago. The committee’s co-chairs for the new association year — which begins with the ABAAnnual Convention in October — are Bill Hayes, president and CEO of Kishacoquillas Valley National Bank, Reedsville, Pa., and Max Cook, president and CEO of the Missouri Bankers Association. Having a state association executive co-chair the committee reflects the importance of state-based and local advocacy efforts in achieving our industry’s policy goals. The rest of the committee will be composed of politically active bankers in each state. Together, they will plan advocacy and grassroots strategies for the new 113th Congress that will convene next January. Our new committee —with banker representation from all 50 states —builds on whatABAand bankers already do very well while recognizing that we need to do more. We are very good at quickly mobilizing and communicating with members of Congress on the issues. Now it’s time to take it to the next level. We want bankers who are already involved to develop deeper relationships with their representa- tive and senators, and their staffs in Washington and back home. That Frank Keating, President and CEOAmerican Bankers Association Relationships with your elected representatives must be grown and nurtured.