Pub. 10 2019 Issue 4

www.wvbankers.org 6 West Virginia Banker A MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE By Sally Cline Preparing for the Future I am pleased to report that the board of directors of the West Virginia Bankers Association recently adopted a new strategic plan. The agreed upon plan will guide the organization over the next two years to ensure that the Association remains relevant in support- ing West Virginia’s banking industry for years to come. The plan is grounded upon our core principle of delivering value to our key stakeholders while meeting the objectives of the organi- zation. Our four key objectives include advocating at the state and federal level, delivering high quality, cost-effec- tive training, creating forums for bankers and vendors to share ideas and build re- lationships, and providing value-added products and services to the members. The Association engaged Mark Mangano of Jackson Kelly PLLC, a noted bank lead- er and consultant, to facilitate the plan- ning session and to provide an unbiased, external perspective. An environmental scan was completed, which focused on our internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external threats and opportu- nities. Prior to the planning session, Mr. Mangano conducted a survey of member bank CEOs to assess perceptions of the Association and its services. Thirty-eight bankers responded. In September, Mr. Mangano led a daylong board and staff retreat as we brainstormed about our mission, vision, values and potential future direction. We affirmed our continued commitment to our mission statement: The West Virginia Bankers Association seeks to efficiently provide for the educa- tional needs of our member banks, pro- mote legislative action that is in the best interests of the banking industry and state, garner grassroots participation from our member banks, and foster cooperation with other trade group constituencies. We also affirmed our four core value propositions of advocacy, education, member engagement, and products and services. The strategic plan focuses on four key strategies to enhance our future strate- gic direction: • Enhance education programming to achieve greater banker participation while increasing overall revenue; • Improve WVBankPAC engagement; • Enhance products and services offerings and marketing to improve member access to and awareness of beneficial products and services while reducing the dues members pay to support the Association; and, • Evaluate the value proposition of the annual convention. Service to our member banks underpins each of the four key strategies. The board acknowledged that the indus- try is rapidly changing, but recognized that the Association is in a strong finan- cial, strategic and operational position to meet the challenges of continued con- solidation and its impact on the nature and mix of the Association’s member- ship. The Association has substantially reduced its reliance on membership dues to fund its operations through pursuing operational efficiency and pro- viding profitable products and services. Nevertheless, we recognize that industry consolidation is likely to continue, which will impact the Association’s member- ship and demand for services. Accord- ingly, the Association must be ready to respond to those changes and adjust its business model as appropriate. There was consensus among the board that a significant key to success relates to marketing: researching member needs, adjusting delivery of core value propositions to meet those needs, and communicating the value of the Associ- ation’s services to its members. It is our hope that this new plan will enhance our effectiveness and will allow us to continue to have a positive influence on the banking industry. As a member of the Association, you pro- vide critical guidance that helps ensure we develop the kind of training, events, products and services, and advocacy strategies that your bank wants and needs to succeed. I welcome your can- did thoughts and recommendations. Your feedback is critical to help us shape our future work on your behalf. We, in turn, will continue to adjust to ensure the delivery of advocacy sup- port and resources you expect. 