2026 WBA Capitol Day Testimonial: Alex Swanson

By Alex Swanson, WBA BOLT board member

I had the opportunity to attend the WBA’s Capitol Day on February 11 alongside just under 300 other bankers from around the state. This was my second year attending, and the group included a mix of seasoned participants and first-time attendees.

We kicked off the day at the beautiful Monona Terrace with a panel discussion moderated by WisPolitics President Jeff Mayers. Capitol insiders Chuck Chvala and Scott Jensen shared their respective Democratic and Republican perspectives on the most important issues currently being legislated from real estate tax cut proposals to the influx in data centers in the state. In somewhat surprising fashion, they agreed on more issues than expected — though they still expressed their own take and perspectives on the other sides viewpoints. The WBA team also provided an update on state legislative priorities and a preview of several upcoming elections.

After the morning session, we had lunch overlooking Lake Monona and spent time connecting with fellow bankers. We also heard an update from DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. It’s always a great opportunity to sit down with peers to gain insight into industry trends and changes.

Following lunch, we walked over to the Capitol for a group photo before heading to meetings with legislators and their staff. Much of what the WBA and bankers across the state are focused on relates to fraud prevention and protecting our customers. This is an important topic to discuss with lawmakers, as we have firsthand experience and many stories of fraud impacting our communities. The more we can do as an industry to stay ahead of fraudsters, the more we can help protect the people we serve.

It was a great day, and if the opportunity arises, I’m sure I’ll attend again next year. I would highly recommend making time for this event if you haven’t had the chance to attend before.