NBA Friends:

Each year, the month of May not only shepherds in warmer days, greener grass and thoughts about golf, baseball, boating, etc., but it also brings the start of a new NBA fiscal year. Like you, I am more than happy to turn the page on our last fiscal year, which will go down in history as the lost pandemic year. Despite the many trials and tribulations we experienced over the past 12 months, Nebraska’s banking industry served as a positive light and ray of hope in what many characterize as a very dark time in our country. Your NBA also successfully navigated these challenges while serving as the primary advocate and resource for Nebraska’s banking industry.

I would be remiss if I did not begin my annual reflection with a special thanks to outgoing NBA Chairman Chris Hove. When Chris agreed more than two years ago to step into the NBA leadership, none of us could have imagined the enormous personal and professional hurdles the pandemic would create. On behalf of our entire membership, I want to thank Chris for his leadership, flexibility, counsel and support.

As the pandemic kicked into high gear last spring, Nebraska banks were on the front line, working with customers and communities. Members also teamed up with various regulatory agencies and our elected officials to implement government economic programs aimed at leveling out the economic crisis that evolved on the heels of the COVID-19 health crisis. Between 2020 and 2021, Nebraska banks collectively made more than 114,800 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling more than $5.38 billion in assistance to Nebraska small businesses.

Your NBA team worked closely with our member banks to address program questions, seek clarification when possible, and raise issues of importance with our congressional delegation and the Small Business Administration. I recently talked with a well-known restaurant owner who advised me that he would have lost his business of more than 30 years without his PPP loan and the hard work of his Nebraska bank. The NBA marketing team worked closely with an outside marketing firm to roll out the #BanksBankNE video campaign featuring stories from five diverse PPP recipients. These videos and related media placement generated over 580,000 impressions on social media.

Your NBA education team quickly moved programs and training to virtual platforms to ensure that our members continued to be well-informed and ready to assist their customers amid ongoing economic and regulatory swings. While the pandemic drastically changed the world of professional education, the NBA continues to evaluate the best methods to deliver top-notch training at affordable prices, whether that be in-person, virtual or some combination. Based upon member input and dialogue, the NBA looks forward to in-person training programs returning in August with the Young Bankers of Nebraska Conference in La Vista.

While PPP consumed a huge amount of NBA staff time, your NBA government relations team also lobbied extensively on numerous state and federal legislative issues. In Nebraska, your lobbying team actively developed several affirmative banking-related initiatives. Three of these four proposals were passed by the legislature before adjournment on May 27, 2021. The NBA also actively supported the passing of LB 452, which outlines financial literacy curriculum requirements for Nebraska’s K-12 schools, including a semester-long personal finance class as a graduation requirement. Finally, your NBA team worked closely with members of the legislature to amend and refine legislation (LB 649) to create a new Digital Asset Bank Charter in Nebraska. Our team provided a yeoman’s effort to slow this proposal down and offer a multitude of amendments to better protect the banking industry and our fellow Nebraskans. I will address this issue more closely in future columns.

Following is a sampling of additional activities which reflect the accomplishments of your NBA over the past year:

• All 166 member banks renewed their membership.
• 85% of all Nebraska banks participated in the NBA VEBA health insurance.
• NBA VEBA provided insurance coverage to more than 10,000 Nebraskans.
• Through NBA philanthropic efforts, we awarded more than $153,000 in higher education scholarships and support.
• NBA officers conducted more than 20 regional and national media interviews.
• NBA member banks raised nearly $150,000 in industry contributions to support the NBA State and Federal Political Action Committees.
• 15 Nebraska banks are active participants in the new Single Bank Pooled Collateral Program, covering more than $1.3 billion in public deposits.
• The Robbery Reward Fund paid out more than $40,000 through for tips leading to the arrest of bank robbers.
• The NBA rolled out, in cooperation with Compliance Alliance, new compliance audit and virtual compliance officer services.
• Completed renovations and upgrades to the NBA offices in September 2020
• Your NBA experienced an extremely strong financial year which allowed for 20% membership rebates.

While the pandemic has impacted many aspects of our lives, I am extremely proud of the role our member institutions and the NBA played in navigating these unchartered waters while planning for the future!