Pub. 8 2019 Issue 2

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 6 NEW TALENT JOINS TEAM KBA Roger Marshall, Kansas 1st District Congressman Steve Watkins, Kansas 2nd District Congressman By Doug Wareham, KBA President and CEO I dentifying and attracting talent is a key factor of success for any organization and that element certainly applies to the Kansas Bankers Association (KBA). The long-tenured experience of KBA’s staff team, including Herb Iams, President of KBA Insurance, Inc., showcases the fact that truly dedicated employees don’t feel like employees at all; but rather they feel like partners or even stronger yet, teammates. I am extremely confident that we have identified the right individual to bolster the efforts of KBA Insurance, Inc. with the recent addition of Ryan McLaughlin as Executive Vice President. For more details on Ryan, please refer to the special announcement found on page 20 of this edition of The Kansas Banker Magazine. Ryan’s appreciation for the Kansas banking industry will enable him to compliment Herb and the rest of the KBA Insurance staff team. While we are very excited about Ryan joining the KBA, I want all Kansas bankers to know that Herb Iams is still 100% dedicated to serving as President of KBA Insurance for the balance of 2019 and he will continue to serve as a part-time resource for Ryan and the KBA Insurance staff team in 2020 as well. Herb and Ryan will work together with the rest of the KBA staff team to ensure this leadership transition happens without skipping a beat and I know you’ll be seeing them traversing to the State of Kansas in the weeks and months ahead. ECORA ACT LAUNCHED IN U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES T wo weeks ago, Kansas 2nd District Congressman Steve Watkins introduced H.R. 1872, the Enhancing Credit Opportunities in Rural America Act of 2019. H.R. 1872 would benefit rural borrowers of agricultural real estate and rural home mortgage loans through lower interest rates while also leveling the playing field between community banks and the Farm Credit System. The KBA supported proposal, which has also been co- sponsored by Kansas 1st District Congressman Roger Marshall, would exempt interest earned from ag real estate and rural home mortgages in rural communities with a population of 2,500 or less from federal income taxes. KBA appreciates Congressman Watkins and Marshall recognizing the need to bring relief to distressed agricultural producers and their recognition of the long-term negative implications of harming community banks and their farm customers by applying tax policy in an inconsistent manner. Ryan McLaughlin, EVP KBA Insurance, Inc.