Pub. 4 2013 Issue 3

fall 2013 7 West Virginia Banker A s I write this article for the fall edition of the West Virginia Banker , it is hard to believe that I’ve just started my ninth year as your Association’s CEO. Because I’m an early riser, I like to enjoy my coffee and reflect on yesterday and my plans for today, just as families all across the state are doing with school starting so early this year and as bank CEOs are doing as they diligently work on their bud- gets and business plans for 2014. Here at the association, we have just started our new fiscal year. The Annual Convention is behind us having assembled bankers from West Virginia, Ohio and Illi- nois in a unique joint meeting that greatly benefited our profession. Steve Morris of Jefferson Security Bank in Shepherdstown has moved on to become our Past Chair- man after a highly successful year. Mike Lieving of Farmers Bank in Point Pleasant will be our Chairman and leader this year, with Skip Hageboeck of City National Bank as Chairman-Elect and Alan Brill of Capon Valley Bank in Wardensville as Vice Chairman. We should all thank and congratulate these gentlemen for their service to the Association and their contin- uous volunteer advocacy for us all. One of the highlights of my work for the Association each year continues to be trav- eling around the state and visiting with the CEOs of our member banks. During my first year with the association, I thought it was very important to visit every bank. After that year and seeing 84 bank CEOs, I now have a rotation to visit each bank in person every other year, so you can look for me at your bank very soon—and be prepared to share your stories of good news in your communities and positive economic developments your bank has been a part of. These are the stories that our public officials need to learn about so they have a perspective on the financial services industry that is different than that regularly portrayed in the national media. These past 12 months have been busier than ever and I would guess that every banker reading this today would look back and say the same. With all of the regula- tory activities coming out of Washington, a great deal of our Association’s focus has been channeled toward communications with regulators and meetings with our Senate and Congressional delegations in Washington. We realize that compliance is taking an extraordinary amount of time and resources at our member banks and your Association is doing its best, on a nearly constant basis, to make sure that our national policy-makers know how their actions are and will affect state-level and community banks in West Virginia. Since the advent of Dodd Frank, the Durbin amendment changing the bat- tle over interchange fees, Basel lll, the Qualified Mortgage issue and, trying to convince Congress that non-taxpaying credit unions that act like banks should be taxed like banks, an extraordinary amount of the Association’s focus has been on national and international issues that fall far beyond the bounds of West Virginia and Charleston. While these areas of policy and debate are outside of the tradi- tional role for WVBA, they are critical to the success and every day survival of our members, and we will maintain our focus in this area for as long as it takes to con- vince officials in Washington that regional and community banks lie at the heart of a true economic recovery and should not be burdened with unnecessary regulatory initiatives. I am proud to represent our Industry in the nation’s capital and in Charleston. It is indeed a great honor for me to tell the sto- ry of our West Virginia bankers wherever I go. Your Association will always stand up and fight for you and to preserve your ability to compete in and invest in your communities. So, just keep moving forward, take care of your customers and keep trying to make a difference in your communities. And let the Association work with you to care of the bigger prob- lems. I hope to visit at least 40 bank locations in the coming year, so please seek me out. Otherwise, please know that I am always available. If I can help in any way, reach me at Jellison@wvbankers.org or call me at 304-343-8838. n A M essage from the P resident & CEO By Joe Ellison Joe’s Musings Your Association will always stand up and fight for you and to preserve your ability to compete in and invest in your communities.