As the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) opened its annual conference in Orlando, Fla., President and CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey told attendees they had the power to benefit local communities around the country.
But that power was at its best when the community bankers worked together.
“Our banks depend on strong local communities to thrive, and those communities depend on strong community banks,” Romero Rainey said, according to remarks made available by ICBA. “Our strength still comes from collective action.”
Romero Rainey compared bankers to super-organisms like bees, urging attendees to take action collectively to make their voice heard on key policy issues this election year.
“Never before have we seen such a reception to our advocacy on credit unions, the Farm Credit System, industrial loan companies, and other issues,” Romero Rainey said. “We are truly waking up Congress on these and other issues.”
Along the way, she noted several advocacy policy victories for ICBA in the past year, and pledged to gather bipartisan support for other top priorities this year, such as reform on Bank Secrecy Act practices and relief on cannabis-banking and CECL policies.
Romero Rainey also said unity and collaboration meant working to find ways for community banks to work with fintech companies to expand opportunities in the industry, as well as empowering a new generation of leaders.
“Each of us must fulfill the important role we have within our bank and as part of our beloved industry,” she said. “If our customers are successful, then the bank is successful. If the bank is successful, the community is successful. And if the customers and banks and communities are successful, then our country flourishes.”