Imagine for a moment we are living in a state where the political environment is such that there is a super-majority of one political party, and that party is not pro-business and certainly not pro-bank. The odds would be stacked against us to modify a bill, let alone kill one.

Of course, this scenario isn’t hard to imagine; we’re living it. This is the current political environment in Colorado. It’s safe to say that the Colorado State Capitol is a rough place for a banker’s association to hang out. Thankfully, the banking industry is well represented by the CBA team and lobbyists. Their hard work, late-night hours and solid relationships with policymakers paid off during the most recent legislative session.

We successfully battled yet another aggressive credit union front. During this session, a provision allowing credit unions to purchase a bank was strategically buried in an otherwise mundane Sunset Review. CBA’s team and countless bankers fought tirelessly to have that provision excised. In the last hours of the final day of the session, CBA prevailed, and the revised bill passed without any authority granted to credit unions. It was a huge win, but there’s no doubt the battle will resume next year.

The fact that we walked away with not just this win, but several, is a huge testament to the importance of getting bankers involved in advocacy, building relationships, and just showing up and being part of the process. The outcomes of pending regulation over the next 12 months will significantly impact our industry, but I am confident that our leadership team at the CBA and our bankers are up to the challenges we may face.

As board chair, I see four areas to prioritize this coming year:

Financial Stability

It is imperative that we keep CBA’s financial resources in a strong position to continue to protect our banks. While CBA is in a solid financial position, it is our obligation as association members to support continued membership growth and revenue-generating initiatives. Without adequate financial resources we cannot expect to be effective in our efforts.

Membership

Clearly, membership is our biggest revenue source, but it is also our biggest resource for advocacy in both Colorado and Washington, D.C. CBA staff does an excellent job of developing and maintaining relationships with existing member banks and recruiting new ones. Not only is there an ongoing need to increase bank membership, but we also need to engage more individual bankers from our existing membership. The more bankers we have on board, the louder and stronger our collective voice will be.

Advocacy and Government Relations

The CBA team works hard to maintain positive relationships with our elected officials, but the challenge is ongoing. Jen and Allison are very well known and respected at the state capitol. I would challenge all Colorado bankers to develop relationships with the legislative representatives for each of our districts. It is these relationships that allow the CBA to be able to defend and protect our industry when the odds are stacked against us.

Education/Communication

CBA will continue to develop and educate the next generation of bankers so they can carry the torch for advocacy of our industry. The education resources available through the CBA are crucial to banks that may not have the same resources internally and to individuals looking to advance their careers. CBA’s programming includes leadership classes, educational webinars and workshops, and lessons in advocacy.

CBA is also a vital source of timely information related to legislative and regulatory activity that could impact both our industry and our communities. CBA staff sifts through hundreds of state and federal bills on our behalf each year to assess the direct and indirect effects on the industry should those bills pass.

Bankers, as many of you know, protecting our industry takes a huge lift. It takes all of us. I want to encourage each of us to lean in. Who at your bank should join our team of bankers from across Colorado to participate in committees, legislative hearings, congressional visits and CBA’s advocacy program? It’s time to step up. Help us grow our collective voice for the good of our industry. Together, we can do great things.

It is my absolute honor to be your chairman and I look forward to working with all of you this coming year.