Community Bankers of Kansas Annual Convention

Why it is important to be well prepared for litigation, to have a high-performing investment portfolio and to file suspicious activity reports were among nuggets of advice shared by speakers with members of the Community Bankers Association of Kansas at their annual convention last month in Wichita. Attorney Bruce Woner of Woner, Glenn, Reeder & Girard P.A. in Topeka, warned the CBA members that they are vulnerable because they are perceived as having plenty of money. "People will come after you," he said. "Be prepared, be very well prepared." Click here to view photos from this convention.

 

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Tri-State Summit

Hopefully they were temporarily distracted by the majesty of the Teton Mountains towering over Jackson Hole, Wyo., but attendees at the Tri-State Bankers Summit there last month were faced with the realities of regulatory reform and recovery from recession in the business sessions. After summarizing the 1,974-page draft reform legislation being sliced and diced in the conference committee, Consultant Bert Ely focused on the aftermath for members of the Colorado, Montana and Wyoming Bankers Associations. It could take as long as two years for all the implementing regulations to be written and put into effect after a bill is passed, he predicted. To view photos from this summit, click here.

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Mobile Banking Summit

Mobile banking is undergoing a major transformation. What began as verifying account balances and receiving text updates has expanded to include person-to-person payments, mobile remote deposit capture, money transfers and contactless payments, to name a few emerging applications. These new mobile capabilities, coupled with a bevy of non-traditional banking entities, make it difficult not to worry about the future of the banking industry. According to a new report from Celent, for example, the Japanese are transferring money out of their bank accounts and into “contactless” accounts — accounts offered by non-traditional financial services providers that allow retail purchases to be made with prepaid mobile phones (replacing prepaid cards).To view photos from the summit click here.

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Missouri Bankers Association 120th Annual Convention

Overall, Missouri banks are in “reasonably good condition,” according to Missouri Division of Finance Commissioner Rich Weaver. However, Weaver said five state-chartered banks have already failed since the recession began and he expects two or three more will fail this year. Weaver was speaking at the Missouri Bankers Association’s annual convention in June. To view more photos from this convention click here.

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Texas Bankers Association 126th Annual Convention & Exposition

Boasting a robust lineup of speakers, the Texas Bankers Association’s annual convention and exposition was full of insight. Speakers including Ed Yingling, president and CEO of the American Bankers Association; Martin Gruenberg, vice chairman of the FDIC; Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus; Texas Gov. Rick Perry; and potential Republican presidential candidate and former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich. Click this photo gallery to view photos of the speakers and more.

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Nebraska Bankers Association Annual Convention

The recovery will be systematic not booming, in the view of Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City President Thomas Hoenig. Hoenig, who spoke at the Nebraska Bankers Association’s Annual Convention last week, believes there is still too much leverage and he is concerned about the American savings rate, which is only at about 3 percent now. Hoenig fears that if that number goes any lower we will see releveraging. Click here to view more photos from this convention.

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Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka Annual Management Conference

Today's safety and soundness examination is not your father’s exam,” David Kemp told attendees at the Federal Home Loan Bank of Topeka’s Annual Management conference in April. Kemp is president of Bankers Management Inc., a consulting company in College Park, Ga. He said that credit that was a “pass” loan for the last several exams is now a substandard loan and the appraisal process that was OK is now an area of major concern. Click here to view photos from this conference.

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Independent Community Bankers of America National Convention

While all of the speeches given by the heads of the various financial agencies at the Independent Community Bankers of America convention  last month promoted eliminating too-big-to-fail, the speeches varied on how overall regulatory reform should be implemented. Acting Director of the Office of Thrift Supervision John Bowman proposed that, instead of the current four federal banking regulators, there should be two, one for community-based banks and thrifts, and one for complex commercial banks. Click here to view photos from this convention.

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ABA 2010 National Conference for Community Bankers

Recovery, as in an improving economy, and recovery, as in dealing with problem loans, were parallel themes at the American Bankers Association’s National Conference for Community Bankers last month in Hollywood, Fla. A V-shaped economic recovery is underway, in the view of Brian Wesbury, chief economist for First Trust Advisors LP in Wheaton, Ill. “Every piece of data shows a V-shaped recovery,” the popular and respected economist said in his opening keynote address. Click this photo gallery to view a photo of Wesbury and other speakers from the conference.

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Missouri Bankers Association Executive Management Conference

Dealing with examiners and regulatory orders were topics drawing considerable interest at the Missouri Bankers Association's Executive Management Conference in St. Louis last month. "Staying close" to examiners and the examination was recommended by Don Hutson, national industry manager for BKD LLP. "Go see them three times a day while the examiners are there," he said. Hutson also advised thinking strategically and getting away from being reactionary. "You manage the process," he added, “but don't be confrontational.” To view photos of this speaker and others from this conference click here.