Pub. 4 2015 Issue 9

December 2015 19 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 W ELL BEFORE I BEGAN MY TENURE AS president and CEO of ABA, I had a sense of the crucial role that banks play in their communities. I knew because when I was first running for governor of Oklahoma, I logged hundreds of miles visiting towns in every corner of the state. And in each of those towns, the local bank shone like a beacon. It was always the best-maintained, most respectable facility on Main Street. To me, that was a symbol of hope and prosperity, a vote of confidence in the town’s future. After five years at ABA, I can tell you that my early impressions were spot on. Hometown banks — and the good men and women who work for them — are the biggest investors in their communities. They are the reasons for good things happening in cities and towns across the country. And it has been an honor to become part of such a noble profession. I leave my post proud of what we have accomplished together, and confident that ABA’s new leader, Rob Nichols, will continue to move our Agenda for America’s Hometown Banks forward. I have known Rob for several years and can vouch for his stellar credentials, policy background and established relationships with policymakers — all of which will serve you and our industry well. The current policy environment – featuring a chaotic session of Congress and intimidation of thoughtful policymakers who dare to consider corrections to the flawed Dodd-Frank Act — often forces us to measure progress in inches, not miles. But every inch or section of a rule that we make more workable for banks and their customers — as we did with several “qualified mortgage” provisions and other rules, such as Basel III and the Volcker Rule — is important. And every chink we put in the armor of our government-subsidized competitors can help us in our long-term efforts to level the playing field. There’s no changing policy affecting banks without first changing the conversation about banks and the vital role they play in our economic ecosystem. That’s something we have done together. We have, for instance, put a real face on the industry with our America’s Hometown Banker ads, and we’ve made a point to tell policymakers how proposals affect not our banks or bottom lines, but our customers and communities. That’s putting it in language policymakers understand best — and care about most. Of course, there is so much that remains on the industry’s to-do list. Dodd-Frank Act provisions, including the dreadful Durbin interchange amendment, have proved difficult to undo. But as I write this, ABA is working with the state associations on a no-holds-barred effort to persuade the Senate to pass regulatory relief. And we are continuing to press regulators to do what they can to tailor rules, making them appropriate for banks of different business models and risk profiles. One example: We have proposed to regulators — and they seem receptive — that well-capitalized community banks be exempted from complex Basel III capital calculations. The key to our future success is the same as it is today: banker engagement. Not that ABA and the state associations don’t play an important role in advocating for you. But when it’s time to cast a vote — on a rule or a bill — a policymaker is most likely to be persuaded by his or her constituents. That means they must hear from you. Regularly. I also urge you to engage at a broader political level. No doubt the 2016 elections will have a big impact on our industry. You can help shape the outcome of races by offering your time and talents to candidates, and by contributing to organizations like BankPac and the Financial Education and Advocacy Initiative, the 501(c)4 that ABA set up in 2012 to provide another avenue for banker political participation. Your continued engagement and partnership with your trade associations is a difference-maker. Please give them all you’ve got. The banking industry’s future is in your hands. As for my future, I will leave ABA on Dec. 31 proud of having served a white-hat industry and grateful for the chance to have worked with the industry’s finest leaders. Thank you for your support, and thank you for all you do for our great nation. E-mail Frank Keating at keating@aba.com © 2015 American Bankers Association. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. PROUD TO HAVE SERVED AMERICA’S HOMETOWN BANKERS By Frank Keating, President and CEO American Bankers Association