Pub. 8 2019 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 6 KBA STRONG 2020 CAPITAL CAMPAIGN – A SHOT OF ADRENALINE O ur Association has continued to build momentum on several fronts since taking the leadership baton at the KBAAnnual Meeting in early August. The ability for your KBA officers to pass that baton without losing momentum is largely attributed to the fact we have an industry- supported strategic plan in place, and we have a highly-motivated KBA staff team that is implementing that plan. We want every Kansas banker to know the direction of the KBA is being guided by our strategic plan thanks to the input from all of you – our member banks. You should also know that your KBA officer team is committed to ensuring the goals and objectives of our plan are maintained as leadership transitions each year going forward. The KBA is pursuing an aggressive agenda which includes fighting for tax equity at the Kansas Statehouse and in the halls of Congress, improving our industry’s image with consumers and the next generation of our industry’s work force and further expanding KBA’s capacity to assist Kansas banks with their legal and compliance needs. We are tackling these challenges head- on to ensure our KBA staff team remains one of the best in the nation as leadership succession impacts the KBA staff, just as it impacts our respective organizations. The work being done by the KBA and the steadfast leadership from KBA’s Board of Directors, who recently approved a KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign, will greatly aid in ensuring our success. To support our goals, we are asking every member bank to consider contributing an amount equal to 20% of your current dues amount to the capital campaign for each of the next three years. This investment by each of us is voluntary, but I hope you will join me in providing a shot of adrenaline to our Association to ensure we achieve success. Simply put, there are three “buckets” we are looking to fill with the KBA Strong 2020 Campaign. 1. Advocacy/Legal Defense for strong banks and strong communities – KBA is aggressively pursuing policy changes to level the playing field between Kansas banks and competitors that enjoy preferential tax treatment. 2. Kansas Bankers Educational Foundation – Through our foundation, the KBA will soon launch a statewide campaign to improve the image of banking in Kansas to consumers and to attract the next generation of our industry’s workforce. 3. KBA headquarters modernization – The KBA headquarters in Topeka will be 20 years old in 2021 and is in need of modernization. KBA’s headquarters is a place of business for Kansas bankers and it has increasingly become a training site for bank employees. We want your Association headquarters to continue to be a source of pride, now and into the future. I am 100% committed to the success of our Association and what we are trying to accomplish for all members. Freedom Bank will be contributing $10,000, over three years, to this important campaign, which just happens to be a 100% (rather than 20%) commitment above our bank’s annual dues investment. I encourage you all to partner with us for a brighter future for our industry by making a voluntary contribution to the KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign. Special Note: My fellow KBA officers, KBA’s Board of Directors and members of the KBA staff team will be reaching out to every Kansas bank leading up to the KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign Kick-Off scheduled for the first week of December. In the meantime, if you have any questions regarding KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign, please feel free to contact Doug Wareham (mobile 785-220-5820) or myself (mobile 913-530-6842). By KBA Chairman Kurt Knutson, Founder, Chairman and CEO Freedom Bank, Overland Park