Pub. 8 2019 Issue 6

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 10 T he 2019 Annual Conference for Lenders was held Oct. 2-3 at the Marriott Hotel in Wichita. The KBA was delighted to host over 100 bankers from across the state, featuring, for the first time, a mini trade show. Eight vendors set up tabletop exhibits in order to network with bankers and show their support for this important KBA program. Chris Donnelly, KBA past chairman, welcomed the group and introduced the opening keynote speaker, Joe Micallef, president of Grow Up Sales. Joe shared his presentation, “You May Be Playing in the Minors, But Act Like a Major League Player,” which advocates for alignment of business strategies and beliefs. He challenged bankers to define and reconsider what their own limiting beliefs are, while leveraging their unique strengths. Next, economist Chris Kuehl presented, “Finding the Dark Cloud Behind the Silver Lining: The 2019 Economy,” bringing a dry wit and strong sense of humor to an otherwise challenging subject. Dr. Kuehl’s economic address elicited many laughs from the crowd, all while delivering an overview of both the Kansas and national economies. During the luncheon, KBA President and CEO Doug Wareham provided an update on the ECORA Act, as well as an introduction to the KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign. The afternoon began with concurrent sessions. Joe Micallef returned with a session on the art of networking; Dr. Bruce Morgan updated lenders on CECL; and Tim Ohlde discussed the do’s and don’ts of loan structuring. The second round of breakout sessions followed with new topics. Elizabeth Fast from Spencer Fane and Chris Donnelly teamed up for a panel discussion on participation loans, while KBA staff attorney Dylan Serrault discussed regulatory hot topics affecting lenders. KBA’s Senior Vice President Terri Thomas spoke on the ever-popular topic of “Banking Cannabis in Kansas: Hemp, CBD and Marijuana- Related Business Risk.” Rounding out the afternoon was a general session led by Neil Stanley, CEO and Founder of The CorePoint. Mr. Stanley emphasized the importance of more effective management of liquidity and funding, in addition to exploring the art and science of retail deposit pricing and sales in today’s banking environment. 2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR LENDERS Dr. Chris Kuehl wows the crowd with his knowledge and explanation of the regional and national economy. Dr. Bruce Morgan, known as the Bank Doctor, gave participants an idea on where they should be on CECL implementation. KBA President and CEO, Doug Wareham, provides a progress report on KBA’s strategic initiatives, including the KBA Strong 2020 Capital Campaign. Keynote speaker, Joe Micallef, presented a fresh perspective on business development and relationship selling. A breakout session on loan structure was presented by Kansas banker, Tim Ohlde, Elk State Bank in Clyde. KBA’s Terri Thomas exits the world of compliance with a session on the importance of communication in the workplace.