Pub. 7 2012-2013 Issue 5

January | February 2013 9 Extraordinary Service for Extraordinary Members. W HATEVER YOU THOUGHT OF THE election outcome in No- vember, it’s time to plan now to meet with your new members of Congress—and any new regulatory officials—to help them understand the absolutely essential role your bank plays in your community and in the national economy. That’s why I’m urging every banker in Nebraska to make plans right now to participate in ABA’s Government Rela- tions Summit inWashington, D.C., April 15-17, 2013. Your participation is vital. We need you to talk with policymakers about how decisions made in Wash- ington play out back home—with your employees, customers, and community. Last year, more than 1,000 bank- ers and bank directors participated in our 2012 Government Relations Summit. That kind of volume makes a statement. It says that bankers are not bystanders, rather they are actively engaged in important policy debates and passionate defenders of their role in meeting the financial needs of American households, busi- nesses, and communities. The bankers who assemble this year will represent banks of every size, char- ter, and business plan. By reflecting the diversity of the industry, they will help us explain—especially to new lawmak- ers and new staffers—what banks do and who bankers are. They also will help us detail for regulators how various proposed or final rules will affect everything from their bank’s operations to the prod- ucts they offer. These face-to-face meetings between regulators and those they regulate are an essential part of the feedback loop. Along with personalized comment letters, which so many bankers wrote in response to the Basel III proposals, the meet- ings can lead to better informed rules that are calibrated to banks according to their size, complexity, and business model. While attending the summit is good for banking, it’s also good for bankers. Attendees benefit from discussing so- lutions with peers facing similar chal- lenges. They also build relationships with the people who will be shaping their future and can become a valued source of information for them. In addition, the meeting—registration for which is free—is preceded by a conference just for mutual community banks, their directors and trustees, and the unique issues facing them. The summit is also immediately fol- lowed by the Women’s Leadership Fo- rum, which continues to grow in both attendance and ratings. I strongly encourage you to include in the del- egation you bring to Washington any women who either hold leadership positions in your bank or are being groomed for them. Even if your schedule does not allow you to attend the summit, I hope you’ll make or renew a commitment to speak up for banking this year. Between ABA and the Nebraska Bankers Association, there is no shortage of opportunities for you to engage. We currently are lining up more than 100 bankers for ABA’s “Freshman Fly-In,” to be held Feb. 12-13, when bankers will sit down with newly sworn in members of Con- gress for an introduction to banking and bank policy issues. ABA also will Washington Update Building Relationships and Sharing Your Story Frank Keating , President & CEO, American Bankers Association Q Building Relationships — continued on page 10