Pub. 7 2018 Issue 6

August 2018 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 Bank CEO Panel for the Young Bank Officers of Kansas (YBOK) conference in 2016. He has served his community in many capacities, including Board of Directors at Kansas Development Finance Authority, Vice Chair for Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, Board member for Olathe Chamber of Commerce and Finance Committee for the Sacred Heart Church in Tonganoxie. He encourages all his employees to get involved in their communities. He said emphatically, “If you are going to get involved, get engaged to make an impact; don’t just get involved to say you’re involved.” Employees at Bank of the Prairie have taken his word to heart. Many of the staff are on local boards and help in nonprofit groups. Bank of the Prairie has a tremendous mix of long time, experienced bankers as well as young and eager professionals looking to make an impact. He knows that during his time as Chairman of the KBA, Bank of the Prairie is in excellent hands. His senior leadership team of Everett Hixson, Deanne Engstrom, Lorrie Haller and Alex Tafoya are as dedicated to the bank and banking industry as any you will find in Kansas. As with his mentors, Chris says he is incredibly blessed to have such good people to surround himself with. When the new Chairman is not busy in his bank or community, he has a passion for working with his hands. He refuses to sit idle and enjoys working outside immensely. He has a small land development and house building company. He loves to build decks on his new houses with the help of his brother, Stephen Donnelly. His favorite piece of equipment is his New Holland tractor that he uses for cleanup and landscaping. He also enjoys getting on his hands and knees to do landscaping and yard work as it gets him out of the office and is his form of relaxation. In reflection, he said again that his dad taught him the meaning of hard work and that it is one lesson he still cherishes to this day. Chris and Susan still travel back to Upstate New York where his parents have a cabin on a lake in the Adirondack Mountains. The camp, as they are called in New York, was built by hand by his grandfather over 65 years ago and the family still enjoys it every summer to this very day. While in the mountains of New York, Chris, Susan and family enjoy mountain climbing and hiking. Chris says that when you talk to Midwesterners about New York, they immediately think of New York City, big buildings and lots of people. Most don’t know that a majority of the state is covered by mountains and trees. The new Chairman feels bank performance in Metro Kansas City is currently outstanding. He says the small business economy in and around Olathe is strong and seems to have good legs under it. He is worried about the alarming consolidation of community banks within the industry. “The lack of additional new charters is a very concerning problem,” states Donnelly. He firmly believes in this community bank model: Bankers need to find a way to add as many banks as the banks that go away. “There are so many young bankers in this state that want to make community banking their career and livelihood,” says Donnelly. “With each consolidation in the banking industry, opportunity for a young banker to be a bank president, executive vice president or chief lender goes away.” He stated, “If every long time Kansas banker would look around their shop, they would see a young person working hard to make a difference in their bank. What does that young person have to look forward to if there are only a handful of large banks left in the state? I have no issues with large banks, there is a place for all in the industry and large banks fill a very important niche in Kansas. Small community banks also play an important role in the state and more particularly in their local community.” He truly wonders what the long term financial landscape will look like with fewer community banks both in Kansas and on the national level. Chris’ vision as Chairman for 2018-2019 is for the KBA to continue to find ways to strengthen the Kansas banking industry and provide resources to help continually expand it. He believes that finding ways to create meaningful new bank charters in Kansas is a way to provide for the longevity of the association and create opportunities for the young bankers that chose banking as their career. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, Chris is an advocate for community banks and community banking. Donnelly absolutely believes when banks can make decisions based on the community’s needs that they know so well because they live there, then they are truly a part of the fabric of the community itself. He stresses there is no better feeling than being able to help local people or local organizations every single day. He leaned forward and said, “Community bankers get to wake up every morning knowing they are going to help one of their neighbors today.” Chris and Susan enjoying their time in the Adirondack Mountains. Chris with his New Holland tractor. Chris and Susan.