Upcoming IBANYS Events |
5/14/12 - DFS Community Bankers Forum, Syracuse 5/17-18/12 - CFO Conference, Otesaga Resort, Cooperstown 6/12 - Directors Conference, Syracuse 7/12-13/12 - Board Meeting, Western NY Golf Outing & Dinner, PAC Fundraiser, Buffalo 7/19/12 - Regional Meeting, Finger Lakes 9/9,10,11/12 - Annual Convention, Turning Stone Resort, Verona |
Click HERE to see all the upcoming IBANYS events!
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Use your head.
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Brainstorm your best newsletter ideas, then send them our way!
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 The
Franklin Club | |
Contribute $100 or more to the our state PAC, you will become a member of the Franklin Club.
Everyone receives a Franklin Club lapel pin and recognition at IBANYS events. We're also adding a part of www.ibanys.net dedicated to Franklin Club members.
Click the link below.
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Inside IBANYS
May 2, 2012
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IBANYS meetings with NYS leaders a success
During the 2012 ICBA Washington Policy Summit, we sat down with the offices of Senator Charles Schumer and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, as well as Congressmen Chris Gibson (NY-20), Richard Hanna (NY-24), Paul Tonko (NY-21), and Bill Owens (NY-23).
In our discussions, topics varied between the credit unions' push to double the cap on member business lending; advancing the Communities First Act (H.R. 1697); safety and soundness exam issues, including the examiners requirement of capital levels higher than present standards; patent reform; and protecting the interests of community bankers under the CFPB.
While meeting with Jonah Crane (Senator Schumer's office), we praised he and the Senator's work on passing the JOBS Act. We also spoke about the problems with regulators, and Mr. Crane suggested we make a list of concrete problems and issues to pass along to Senator Schumer. Mr. Crane said little could be done about individual problems with regulators unless there was a blanket issues regionally or statewide.
At our meeting with Congressman Chris Gibson, we spoke about TAG extension; the Hartsler Bill (H.R. 3336); student loans; and mortgage escrow issues. Mr. Gibson is in favor of keeping student interest rates low, however, that to do so would require a $6 bil. cut from somewhere.
As we met with Congressman Richard Hanna, he was aware of our issues before we even stepped through the door. He told us he thinks it is unrealistic for credit unions to want what they are currently asking for. The Congressman encouraged our office and his constituents to write him letters or e-mails, touting he and his staff's ability to personally answer all inquiries. We promised to send copies of examples of Credit Unions from across the country who disapprove of their industry's push for commercial lending expansion (see examples here.)
Our next meeting was with Kevin Fink (Senator Gillibrand's office.) Mr. Fink knew a lot of the issues before we came in, and shared in our frustrations with being lumped together with big banks. He mentionedhe heard some CFPB officials say that bank leaders were too far removed from compliance at their institutions to understand the issues. We also explained our desire for a TAG extension. We promised Mr. Fink to send some statistics on IBANYS Member lending, and to help in any way the Senator may need.
The last meeting scheduled during WPS was with Congressman Bill Owens. Mr. Owens has a large portion of New York as his district, and has touted his commitment to both small business and agriculture in those areas. We discussed our issues with him (with the help of Aaron Stetter from ICBA), as well as the issue of patent trolling. The Congressman was receptive to helping where he could, and we extended the same to him.
See pictures from the trip on our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/IBANewYork
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 Join us for our
CFO/Sr. Management Conference
Register now for our annual CFO/Senior Management Conference, May 17-18 at the Otesaga Resort in beautiful Cooperstown, NY! The two-day event kicks off with optional golf on Thursday morning. After lunch, the joint and concurrent sessions begin, until a welcome reception and special dinner to end the day. Friday starts off the right way (with breakfast!) then joint and concurrent sessions until afternoon dismissal.
To see the schedule and register for the CFO/Sr. Management Conference, click here.
This conference is a must for CEOs, CFOs, COOs, Risk Managers, and more. Costs include all materials, speakers, sessions, breaks, and meals. You will find more information in the attached brochure. Do not miss this opportunity to see world-class speakers and get the latest educational tools for your business. We cannot wait to see you there!
Thanks to our CFO sponsors: Atlantic Central Bankers Bank, Bankers' Bank Northeast, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, PNC Bank, M&T Bank, Roosevelt & Cross
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From the Top: Getting Personal
By Jeff Gerhart, Chairman of ICBA
Many years ago when I was getting involved with community banking issues in Nebraska, I was given some sage advice. It came from a family friend, a Nebraska state senator for our district. He said when you write your elected representatives, "it should come from the heart and include how the particular piece of legislation will impact your bank and your community."
Our friend also said a handwritten letter, rather than a typed letter, was the best approach to have your views noticed and considered. Handwritten letters are almost a thing of the past with all of our new electronic means of communication. Yet his advice remains true.
Other advice our family friend gave was this:
- Be clear. Keep the message simple and to the point. Public officials deal with a wide range of complicated issues. They'll appreciate it when you respect their time. They'll also be more likely to welcome hearing from you in the future. Be the person they turn to about community banking issues.
- Give examples they can understand so they can make your point to others. Remember most public officials are not community bankers. Don't presume they know even basic things about how your bank works or what prevents it from working very well.
- Use your ZIP code to your advantage. Your ZIP code is your calling card to your elected officials-use it wisely. Mine (68758) gives me access to my Nebraska congressman that a banker in West Virginia or California does not have. Leverage that hometown advantage.
Here is more advice I've picked up along the way:
- Grassroots involvement is critical to good legislation. When it comes to influencing policy, community banking is best served by bankers being active-writing letters, making phone calls and building relationships with elected representatives.
- Grassroots efforts make the difference. Building thatlocal connection is critical. Today's local politician could be tomorrow's congressman or senator, or be heading up a banking agency.
- Every community banker makes a difference. Multiply your impact by getting others at your community bank involved, especially directors. You don't have to go it alone, and in fact, you shouldn't.
- Use ICBA and your state affiliate to your advantage.I have two important resources ready to help me communicate with my congressman in Washington. Together, ICBA and the Nebraska Independent Bankers Association provide me various advocacy resources. I know that your state association along with ICBA will help you too.
- Don't get discouraged. Your congressman won't always vote your way, but your input is always important. Don't doubt that for a minute. Remember, community bankers across the country were finally able to convince Congress that $250,000 in FDIC deposit insurance and a change in our FDIC deposit insurance assessment premiums were two good ideas. We didn't gain those changes overnight. It took time, patience and persistence from bankers like you.
Thank you for your time and efforts in keeping our community banking issues in front of your congressman. Your phone calls, your letters, your ZIP code make a difference-take the time to be engaged on behalf of community banking.
Jeffrey L. Gerhart is chairman of the Bank of Newman Grove, Neb.
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Did you know?
 Monday, May 7 is a bank holiday in the United Kingdom. It is called May Day in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is known as the Early May Bank Holiday in Scotland. It probably originated as a Roman festival honoring the beginning of the summer season (in the northern hemisphere). In more recent times, it has been as a day to campaign for and celebrate workers' rights. Source: www.timeanddate.com
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State banking leader is cautiously optimistic
By Jonathan B. Epstein, The Buffalo News, April 22, 2012 http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article822447.ece
William C. Dudley is one of the most prominent and powerful regulators in America. But most people don't know who he is.
As president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Dudley heads one of the 12 regional districts within the Federal Reserve system, created in 1913.
In that role, he is also a member of the Federal Open Markets  Committee, the interest- rate policy-setting body that includes the five governors of the Federal Reserve Board and the 12 Reserve Bank presidents. But unlike his 11 peers at the other banks who rotate with a vote, he is a permanent voting member with the five governors.
That's because his bank regulates many of the nation's biggest "money-center" and Wall Street banks, and implements the committee's policy decisions through its Markets Group that buys and sells securities on Wall Street to raise or reduce the supply of money.
Dudley, whose district includes Buffalo, visited Western New York last week on a speaking tour.
Q: What's the outlook for the national economy?
A: We're doing a little bit better. The recent data does show signs of improvement. That said, do I think we're out of the woods yet? Unfortunately, not.
I think there are a couple of things we have to be aware of. One, we had an unusually mild winter. This may be distorting some of the economic news.
Two, we saw these kinds of improvements in the economy before, in 2010, 2011, early in the year, and they petered out as the year went on. So we have to be careful not to count our chickens too soon.
Number three, there are still some downside risks. One risk is higher gasoline prices and how that's going to affect consumer purchasing power. Another risk is developments abroad, in terms of their demand for our goods and services. A third risk is the fiscal outlook for the United States. The fact is that right now, the federal policy is that, if nothing is done, we're going to have a very large fiscal contraction early in 2013, over 3 percent of GDP. So there is some political risk that if this isn't addressed before then, that could actually be a big blow for the economy early next year. ...
...read the whole interview here.
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Frank J. Capaldo
President / CEO
Victoria Miller
Director of Administration & Membership
Erin Clark
Director of Communications, Development & Marketing
Steve Rice
Director of Government Relations
William Y. Crowell, III
Legislative Counsel
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