Pub. 1 2012 Issue 7

Oct/Nov 2012 13 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 B ARRY FLINCHBAUGH, PH.D. OPENED THE CONFER- ence with his trademark hard line political stances and a dose of humor. In his presentation titled “Is It Really the Economy, Stupid?” Dr Flinchbaugh outlined the problems with the political log-jamwe see in The District of Columbia. He used non-partisan examples such as how Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neil worked together compared to Barack Obama and John Boehner. “Without compromise you can’t balance the budget and unless we have a balanced budget we will not have sustaining growth,” said Flinchbaugh. Charles Simko, CFA, MainStreet Advisors, addressed the group with a presentation titled “Investing in a Volatile Environment.” Mr. Simko gave examples of the extreme volatility we have seen over the last 10 years compared to the preceding half century. With the major sources of volatility being government, foreign markets, technology and inves- tor behavior; Simko gave multiple examples and detail that drive these trends. The cycle of market emotions, efficient portfolios and alternative investments were all items he touched on to demonstrate good practices in a volatile market. A regulatory panel convened for a brief presentation by each including current trends on trust exams along with open discussion. Scott Lowry (State Banking Department), Carla Walter-Clifton (FDIC) and Sanna Cranmer (Varney and Associates) made up the panel. John Sherman, a general attorney from Ellsworth, Kansas, gave an introductory presentation on oil and gas titled “Let Me Tell You about a Man Named Jed.” With oil remaining at over $100 per barrel we are seeing land rushing for leases. There are many issues surrounding oil and gas rights, leases and real property. Mr. Sherman demonstrated how this topic can come with many estate planning and trust issues to consider. A tour of the new Flint Hills Discovery Center and a networking dinner concluded the day. Attendees weren’t disappointed with a kick-off session by Stan Hazlett on Friday morning with an overview of recent discipline cases and eth- ics violations. The group was engaged as Hazlett explained how the problems evolved and what to watch for. Richard Cram, State of Kansas Department of Revenue, gave a detailed overview of House Bill 2117, which introduced income tax rates for individuals, estates and trusts. The conference was wrapped up with a talk from award-winning sports writer, Joe Drape. He spent some time recounting the way he came to write the book Our Boys, about a football team in Smith Center, Kansas and then went on to write about the team at West Point. With sincere demeanor, Drape described how he learned to be a better parent as he observed Coach Roger Barta teach the boys love, patience and hard work. He witnessed community values and leadership in play as they carried a mission of respect. He is currently at work on Soldiers First, where he is recounting a season in the unique culture of Army football where the players aren’t working to go to the NFL but rather to Iraq andAfghanistan. “I learned to be a better father with the Smith Center Redmen but I’m learning to be a better person with the men at West Point,” said Drape. With that, the 2012 Kansas Trust Conference concluded. 2012 KBA TRUST CONFERENCE HELD IN MANHATTAN Barry Flinchbaugh, right, Jim Gilpin (Community National Bank & Trust, Iola) and Dean Kennedy (Community National Bank & Trust, Winfield) engage in a thoughtful discussion. Daryl Craft (Gtrust Financial Partners, Topeka) shares thoughts with John Thaemert (Citizens State Bank & Trust, Ellsworth). Joe Drape engages the crowd with a talk on leadership and teamwork. Dustin Stull, KBA Trust Division President, introduces the final speaker of the day.