Independent Banker - April 2024 - 7

FROM THE TOP
Driving community
banking's agenda
with advocacy
am an avid motorcyclist. In fact,
I have completed two Iron Butt
rides, riding at least 1,000 miles in
24 hours. Doing something like that
takes passion, resilience, tenacity
and strength of will, but it's also a
lot of fun. And as I assume the role
of ICBA chairman, it strikes me that
these same qualities apply to what
we do as community bankers.
Banking is the most heavily
regulated industry in the country.
We live by thousands of pages of
rules that make it harder to do
business and serve our customers,
and those rules are a constant
moving target, always under
regulatory scrutiny. So, on top of
our day jobs, we also need to teach
rulemakers what we do, why we do it
and how it spurs positive change.
Every community banker needs
to go to Capitol Hill at least once. In
addition to being a banker, I served
as a public defender for eight years
after law school. I learned that when
you explain the law, you have to
make it simple and clear. It's similar
to how we translate community
banking for legislators: We need
to share our customer stories
and convey our support for our
communities, because knowledge
makes a difference.
Just consider how ICBA
successfully advocated for the FDIC
to exempt most community banks
from the special assessment to
I
replenish the Deposit Insurance
Fund after last year's big bank
failures. This one effort saved
my bank just under $300,000.
That is $300,000 of additional
capital I can use to make loans in
my community.
I know we're all busier than ever,
but advocacy matters. We all have
responsibilities at the bank, to our
communities and with our families,
but this needs to be a priority. I
have three young sons at home,
but my wife and I are making it
work because we know just how
important it is to speak directly
with those making the rules.
So, I encourage every one of you
to take part in advocacy efforts.
Don't put it off until you have more
time, until you're older or whatever
you're telling yourself. Do it today.
Write to your legislators. Call them
and tell them what counts for
your community. Attend the ICBA
Capital Summit with your peers.
You'll be surprised at how much of
an influence you'll have-with a lot
of fun in the process.
As for me, I will be riding right
alongside you, looking at the
road ahead, the twists and turns
it brings and, with them, the
opportunities to make an impact.
Lucas White is president of The
Fountain Trust Company in
Covington, Ind.
Lucas White
Chairman, ICBA
" I encourage every
one of you to take
part in advocacy
efforts. Don't put it
off until you have
more time, until
you're older or
whatever you're
telling yourself.
Do it today. "
My Top 3
I love scenic and technical
motorcycle drives, including
these three favorites:
1. Dalton Highway from
Fairbanks, Alaska, to the
Arctic Circle
2. Tail of the Dragon in the
Great Smoky Mountains
3. Million Dollar Highway
in Colorado
independentbanker.org // 7
Photo by Chris Williams
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - April 2024

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