Pub. 3 2014 Issue 2

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 12 ADVOCACY FOR YOU AND BY YOU By Frank Keating, President and CEO American Bankers Association W HEN ABA’S GOVERNMENT Relations Council Administrative Committee met early in December, followed by our Board of Directors, the bankers serving on both helped complete a process that begins with each of you: The adoption of our priority policy positions for the new year. These are developed by the Government Relations Council with input and suggestions from a broad range of our members, state bankers associations and ABA committees and councils. They are adopted by the ABA Board and serve as our political advocacy roadmap for the coming year. Our priority policy positions – whether it’s leveling the competitive playing field by eliminating the outdated and unnecessary tax exemption for credit unions or calling for meaningful regulatory relief for community banks – unite our industry in both common purposes and shared goals. That’s also a function and strength of the Alliance between ABA and state bankers associations. Our Alliance depends on the leadership of Kansas Bankers Association President Chuck Stones and the commitment and engagement of Kansas bankers including: – Frank Carson, Carson Bank, who serves on ABA’s Government Relations Council Administrative Committee; – John Lehman, First National Bank of Girard, who serves on ABA’s Community Bankers Council; – Kelly Mason, First National Bank, who serves on ABA’s Community Bankers Council; – Former ABA Chairman Earl McVicker, Central Financial Corp., who serves on ABA’s Membership Council; – Craig Meader, First National Bank of Kansas, who serves on ABA’s Membership Council and the Banker Advocacy and Grassroots Committee; – Michael Stevens, Centera Bank, who serves on ABA’s Community Bankers Council; and – Alex Williams, Halstead Bank, who serves on ABA’s Community Bankers Council. These bankers have stepped up to set our agenda and to help us move forward in reaching our goals. We’ve got another challenging year ahead for our industry’s political advocacy. So when these bankers ask you for your support on an industry issue, please don’t hesitate to give it to them. If you want to become more actively involved in promoting our industry’s advocacy efforts and supporting the ABA-state bankers associations Alliance, there’s no better opportunity than the ABA Government Relations Summit, March 24-26 in Washington. This event is your opportunity to personally meet with members of Congress and the regulators. The theme of our GR Summit is “Linking Principles to Policy.” This is an advocacy challenge. We want you and your banking colleagues to make sure that lawmakers and regulators understand the principles that guide our industry and incorporate them into policy. E-mail Frank Keating at keating@aba.com © 2013 American Bankers Association. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.