Pub. 5 2016 Issue 5

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 4 © 2016 Kansas Bankers Association | The newsLINK Group, LLC. All rights reserved. The Kansas Banker is published eight times each year by The newsLINK Group, LLC for the Kansas Bankers Association and is the official publication for this association. The information contained in this publication is intended to provide general information for review and consideration. The contents do not constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. If you need legal advice or assistance, it is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney as to your specific circumstances. The statements and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Kansas Bankers Association, its board of directors, or the publisher. Likewise, the appearance of advertisements within this publication does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation of any product or service advertised. The Kansas Bankers Association is a collective work and as such some articles are submitted by authors that are independent of the Kansas Bankers Asso- ciation. While The Kansas Banker encourages a first print policy, in cases where this is not possible, every effort has been made to comply with any known reprint guidelines or restrictions. Content may not be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission. For further information, please contact the publisher at: 855-747-4003. 20 30 12 6 KBA Leaders Ledger By Chuck Stones, President 8 Advocacy is Alive and Well With the KBA Federal Affairs Committee 11 The Best Defense is a Good Offense By Rob Nichols, President and CEO, American Bankers Association 12 Working Together, Kansas Bankers and Attorneys Make a Big Difference 14 BLOK Class Marches on Washington 16 Briefly... In Kansas Banking 17 KBA’s Soil Conservation Awards Program 70 Years Strong By Doug Wareham, EVP-Government Relations 18 Use Technology to Outperform Your Peers: Higher Earnings & Improved Efficiency By Robert Mendez, EVP, BankOnIT 20 How the Cow Ate the Cabbage: Are Your Interest Rate Risk Reports Giving You the Unvarnished Truth? By Lester F. Murray, Associate Partner, The Baker Group LP 28 Bert Ely’s Farm Credit Watch ® Shedding Light on the Farm Credit System, America’s Least Known GSE By Bert Ely 30 Four Actions to Prevent Ransomware By Daniel Lindley, Network+, CISA Photo Credit: