Pub. 7 2018 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 8 CHUCK STONES: LOOKING BACK O n December 1, 2004, Charles A. “Chuck” Stones became president of the Kansas Bankers Association, only the sixth person to hold that position in the 117-year history of the association. Chuck started his career at the KBA in 1986 as director of member relations and later became director of research. In 1997, he was promoted to senior vice president and served as head lobbyist. Stones was the unanimous choice to succeed then KBApresident, JimMaag, who served as president from 1997 to 2004. Being a KBA leader is nothing new for the Stones’ family as Chuck’s father, Harold, was executive vice president (a role now called president) from 1981 to 1997. Chuck believes we are the totality of our experiences. His journey began in Anchorage, Alaska, where Harold was stationed as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. When Chuck was nine months old, his family moved to Hays, Kansas where his father attended Fort Hays State University. When Harold began his career at KBA, the family moved to Topeka, where Chuck remained through college. As a freshman at Washburn University, Chuck met the love of his life, Sandy, and they married two years later. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in communications in 1978, Chuck and Sandy moved to Wichita. There he worked toward his MBA at Wichita State University before accepting a position at Fourth National Bank’s executive management training program in 1979. He spent two weeks in each department of what was then the largest bank in Kansas, truly providing him the insight and knowledge he needed to eventually become manager of investment operations. During his seven-and-a-half years at the bank, all three of Chuck and Sandy’s children were born: Alicia, Rick and Steven. Chuck had been promoted to investment officer by the time his father, Harold, approached him about an opening at the KBA after the director of member relations resigned. At that time, the KBA was in a transition with job responsibilities and KBA’s director of research. Jim Maag, was in much need of help with lobbying efforts. Chuck had no lobbying experience; however, he had built solid relationships with numerous Kansas bankers, knew the banking issues at hand and felt comfortable articulating them to others. Chuck’s first days at the KBA were filled with the 1986 ag crisis. This was the beginning of Chuck’s commitment to Kansas banks and bankers. “Many bankers don’t realize the vast amount of industry knowledge Chuck has,” says Kathy Taylor, KBA Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Together Chuck and Kathy have lobbied and testified on behalf of bills for over 30 years. In reflection Chuck is most proud of his efforts in the privilege tax and public funds debates. To this day, he cherishes the relationships with legislators with whom he spent countless hours. Chuck’s relationships with the bankers are equally as strong. He spent innumerable hours in KBA committee meetings, conferences, as well as numerous events held by bankers around the state to get to know them. As current KBA Chairman Chris Donnelly (President & CEO, Bank of the Prairie, Olathe) states, “Chuck is a walking library for Kansas bankers and Kansas banks. Chuck knows all the history of the bankers and the banks they run. Anytime you needed to know anything about banking, you would just ask Chuck and without hesitation, he would rattle off tons of information. The advice he gave was always at a personal level and was always something useful and important.” “To support and assist Kansas banks and Kansas bankers,” has been the official mission statement of the KBA for the past 14 years, his entire tenure as president. Chuck says, “We have made every attempt to use that mission statement as the lens through which we view our jobs. That has not changed and while the words may need to be tweaked in the future, neither the meaning nor the results will change.” Under Chuck’s leadership, the association saw sizeable growth with his vision of Kansas Bankers Consulting Service (KBCS) in response to the growing regulatory burden. KBCS provides expert, accurate and practical compliance and legal services at a cost-effective basis. Kent Needham (President & CEO, First Security Bank, Overbrook), who served as KBA Chairman during Chuck’s first year as President recalls, “During Chuck’s tenure, he and his team established the Bank Leaders of Kansas (BLOK) program as well as the Kansas Bankers Consulting Service (KBCS). I believe history will reflect these two programs as critical to the preservation of a strong community banking system in Kansas as well as a strong visionary for KBA leading the way.” Retirement days will not be dull for Chuck as he has many passions. He is excited to spend more time with his family, all of whom live in the Topeka area. Daughter Alicia, who is a teacher, and her husband, Jim, a machinist, are parents to Peyton, Brayden and Parker. Chuck and Sandy’s son, Rick, an engineer, and his wife Randi, also a teacher, are parents to Charlie and Lucy. Their youngest son, Steven, who works at Dillon’s, and his wife Bridgette, a teaching paraprofessional, are parents to Charlotte. Chuck’s family also includes his beloved four-legged animals: Daisy, a Peek- a-poo, Zoe, a Goldendoodle, and Marley, a Labradoodle. Chuck plans to continue to play golf, read, volunteer at his church and cheer on the Jayhawk basketball team. He does have his sights set on a few new ventures. Chuck looks forward to having more time to perfect the tricky chords on his guitar. He also looks forward to being able to spend more time volunteering at his church, Western Hills Church in Topeka.