Pub. 3 2014 Issue 7

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 6 CEO FORUM 30 YEARS AT THE BROADMOOR 2014-2015 KBA Officers from left to right are KBA President Chuck Stones; KBA Past Chairman Leonard Wolfe, United Bank & Trust, Marysville; KBA Chairman Kelly Mason, First National Bank in Pratt, Pratt; KBA Chairman-elect Robert Leftwich, Impact Bank, Wellington; and KBA Treasurer Ron Johnson, Community National Bank, Seneca. T HE 2014 KBA CEO & SENIOR Management Forum/Annual Meeting marked the 30th year at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, CO. The extraordinary views and perfect summer temperatures provided for a true retreat while expanding on hot topics and top leadership education. When Bob Mazur, this year’s CEO Forum keynote speaker, talks about the underworld, he knows of what he speaks. Bob spent 27 years as a high-level government agent, 20 of those years working international drug trafficking and 5 years spent undercover. While working undercover, he said there were over 250 people working with him and his partner and it was that group who were able to keep them alive. “I didn’t do anything great. I just got lucky,” he said. His book (and soon to be movie), “The Infiltrator” tells his unbelievable story. He spoke of the unimaginable volume of drugs and money that are trafficked and laundered still today. In 2012 the government seized over $1 billion in drug money while the drug trade generated over $400 billion in drug money. Yes, you read that right. The government seized over $1 billion in drug money which amounted to only 1/4 of 1% of the actual drug money generated. When Bob removed himself from this job, his life was immediately threatened. He and his family moved to another country and went underground for a number of years. Though he still lives in fear for his life and that of his family, he is telling his story to try and bring some attention to this very real problem. He believes we have the ability to curtail the problem, but he says it won’t happen until federal, regulatory and law enforcement agencies decide to communicate and collaborate with one another more effectively. “We have the ability to track bulk cash movements which would allow us to catch the very biggest launderers every year,” said Mazur, “it’s up to us.” “The Infiltrator” definitely infiltrated the minds of many bankers and opened their eyes to a very scary and very real problem.