Pub. 4 2015 Issue 3

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 8 Kristy Umscheid, Kaylene Plummer and Randy Kufah, all from Farmers State Bank, Westmoreland. T HE 2015 TRI-STATE LEADERSHIP AND Human Resources Conference moved to the Missouri side of Kansas City with conference sessions and accommodations at the InterContinental Hotel. “Lessons in Leadership: Straight Talk from a Green Beret” was the opening presentation from Mark Johnson, a retired Special Forces officer. Johnson‘s motivational appearance focused on confidence in yourself, concern for employees and commitment to excellence as primary components of a good leader. A panel discussion that answered direct questions about leadership and HR challenges proved to be a very well attended and interactive session. Panelists included Mike Jacobson, CEO of NebraskaLand National Bank in Kearney, Nebraska; Rosalee McNamara, Law Partner at Lathrop & Gage in Kansas City, MO; and Toni Walsh, HR Professional at Country Club Bank in Kansas City, MO. The panel discussion was moderated by Loretta Summers, Summers Advisory Group. Key points by panelists included: the understanding that the greatest competitive edge is in human capital and leveraging that capital will determine how you are positioned; and leaders must effectively articulate the plan to employees and they need to know how their position fits into that plan. Following this session, participants were guests of Country Club Bank on Tuesday evening for a networking reception. Honey Shelton, Interaction Training, held a lively session titled, “Stirring Up Excellence at the Bank.” She explained that culture that is alive with excellence is made up of employees who treat each other like customers. Training and coaching go together like salt and pepper and they must be part of the culture to have excellence. Honey gave multiple practical tips for the beginning of a healthy culture change. Concurrent sessions included, “We Have to Talk – Managing Difficult Conversations” by Honey Shelton; “Hot Topics in Employment Law” by Sue Willman, Spencer Fane & Brown; and “Developing Performance Goals and Standards” by Loretta Summers, Summers Advisory Group. The closing speaker was Dale Spencer, Inspirational Speaker and Survivor. His topic was “Don’t Fear It: Embracing Life’s Journey.” His message was about how to use fear to be successful in life by understanding where it comes from. The session ended on a high note with his inspirational message of overcoming his fear following a tragic accident that left him in a wheel chair. Mark your calendar for the 2016 Tri-State Leadership and HR Conference on March 22-23 in the Kansas City area. TRI-STATE LEADERSHIP AND HUMAN RESOURCES CONFERENCE