The WBA Agricultural Bankers Section Board is excited to announce that registration is now open for the annual WBA Agricultural Bankers Conference, which will return in person on April 6–7, 2022 at the Kalahari Resort & Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells.
This year’s conference will help prepare ag bankers for the many conversations that take place between farm client and banker. Whether good times or bad, high prices or low, the perfect weather or the most unusual weather events in history; Wisconsin ag bankers continue to provide those “value-added conversations” beyond the traditional financing discussions.
In addition to the dairy and commodity market outlook sessions that have become staples of the annual conference, attendees will hear from attorney Dan Purtell on the topic of farm transition planning. Each family farm presents unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to transition planning, and Purtell has seen it all. Sharing best practices learned from experiencing the good, the bad, and the ugly, Purtell will also include time for audience Q&A with his presentation.
Farmer Mac economist, Greg Lyons, advises bankers to “ride the bull with a helmet” as he shares his agricultural economic outlook for 2022. Farmers and ranchers are entering 2022 with strong market prices, surging land values, and more cash on hand than any point since the commodity supercycle. This session will cover early indications of 2022 incomes for producers in Wisconsin, as well as what pitfalls could knock this bull market on its heels. How deeply will inflation cut into producer profitability? Can we rely on strong agricultural exports if China is a top trade market?
Will a rising rate environment end land value growth? Lyons’ session will review these and other questions as we seek to answer just how comfortable lenders can be with the current strong state of the agricultural sector. In addition to a great lineup of speakers and presentations, attendees will enjoy the always valuable networking that takes place throughout the conference. An exhibit hall of trusted partners will showcase the latest in ag finance products and services and provide a place for value added conversations during breaks and meals.
Make plans to join your fellow ag bankers in the Dells, April 6–7. You can find more information on the conference agenda, room block details, and more at www.wisbank.com/ag.
By Hannah Flanders
In 2008, Leah Wilson was awarded the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF) Spring Scholarship, which, at that time, was the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s (WBA) Retail Banking Section “Technical College” Scholarship. While a lot has changed since the mid-2000s not only in Wilson’s career, but also in the banking industry; some things remain absolutely the same — bankers’ commitment to their communities and to the future success of the banking industry
Between her junior and senior year in high school, Wilson began her career in banking as a teller at Mid-Wisconsin Bank in Neillsville. Shortly after, she had decided that a career in banking would align well with her passion for business and math while also allowing her to work within the office setting she had always envisioned.
In the last several years, Wilson has held many positions throughout the bank from teller to personal banker and is now assistant vice president – mortgage lender and assistant branch manager at Citizens State Bank of Loyal in Neillsville. Her expertise in the industry is a result of her dedication to bettering her community and understanding how to navigate her career path.
As she looks back upon the last 14 years in the banking industry, she credits WBA’s scholarship for her ability to further her education at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) in Eau Claire. While in the business management program, she was able to complete many courses that continue to be beneficial to her career.
In addition to the CVTC courses she pursued with the scholarship, Wilson has attended several courses offered by WBA, including Residential Mortgage Lending School and Lending Boot Camp, that have allowed continuous growth in her career. “I have learned a lot through the education opportunities provided by the WBA,” says Wilson. “I would encourage people to familiarize themselves with these opportunities and use them.”
Within the community banking environment, in which she has spent much of her career, Wilson has been able to take advantage of many opportunities offered in the bank to further explore several different departments and discover which career path was best suited for her goals and interests. The opportunities, provided in part by WBA and her bank, have allowed Wilson to take ownership of the career path she desired as well as continue to grow alongside the industry — long after the scholarship was awarded.
Ultimately, the opportunities have provided Wilson access to what she considers to be some of the “endless benefits of working in a community bank,” including the ability to build strong relationships with customers, develop deeper connections within the community, and develop her own path that aligns with her goals and interests.
By Hannah Flanders
Adriene Wright not only brings more than 25 years of retail banking experience to her students, but she also mentors and supports them through the BankWork$ program and beyond. As an instructor in the program partnered with Employ Milwaukee, CareerWork$, and the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA), Wright is able to provide individuals the banking 101 entry-level training needed to fill positions with numerous partner banks.
Wright began her retail banking career as a teller and progressed to a learning and development instructor training new hires. Not only did this role prepare her for her transition to BankWork$ in terms of her retail banking abilities, but it gave her the opportunity to give back to her community and the industry.
“Through the [program’s] eight weeks of training, practice, coaching, and feedback, the students graduate with a clear knowledge of [the] expectations to be successful in banking,” says Wright. “This includes the topics of banking 101, professionalism, attendance, dress code, customer service, rapport, public speaking, technology, team building, sales skills, building relationships, resume building, and interviewing skills.”
Currently, the BankWork$ program in Wisconsin has 14 partner banks and growing interest throughout the state. This could potentially result in growing class sizes, more locations, and new partnerships. BankWork$ recruits from diverse communities with an emphasis on underserved, low-income, and unemployed individuals who are looking for the opportunities to grow and have a successful career. This means not only that these young adults bring “a fierce commitment and drive to never give up,” according to Wright, but their wide range of education, work experience, and languages introduce important factors of diversity and inclusion that align with banks’ missions.
Many BankWork$ graduates are successfully retained and often promoted from their entry-level positions to roles in supervision or management. When these individuals have the ability to provide for themselves and their families, they are able to begin imagining their future and setting goals.
Building confidence, banking knowledge, and providing students with both in-person and virtual skills is critical in ensuring that students feel prepared to put their talents into practice on their first day on the job. In their partnership with 13 other sites nationwide, Wright and her fellow BankWork$ instructors have the ability to make a substantial difference for employers with positions to fill. The role of BankWork$ instructors is unique and impactful in that they help employers, job seekers, and their communities.
Wright’s passion and experience in helping new hires become successful in the banking industry has touched the lives of many in the Milwaukee area. Beyond her compassion for her community, Wright aspires to prepare her students for a stable career and opportunities rather than just a job.
By Jeff Wilke, Denmark State Bank
As the calendar turns to 2022, there is no shortage of old and new challenges facing the ag customers we work with — continued high feed prices, escalating crop input costs, supply chain delays, labor shortages, etc. In order to weather the storm of this next round of challenges and future storms, it has never been more important for farmers to be good business managers.
That being said, the question I pose is — How would you rate the farmers you work with as business managers? This may be a subjective process in many ways. However, there are objective standards to consider when rating a farmer’s management skills or Business IQ, as Dr. David M. Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Ag & Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, calls it.
Per Dr. Kohl, Business IQ contains for cornerstones — Planning, Strategizing, Executing & Monitoring. From Dr. Kohl’s findings, ag producers with high management skills have plans for all areas of their farm operation, using those plans to prioritize their strategies; then executing those strategies using sound data, objectivity and intuition; and finally, and just as importantly, periodically monitoring the results.
From these cornerstones, Dr. Kohl has developed a Score Card that analyzes 15 management factors specific to ag producers. The Score Card can be found by doing a search for “Dr. David Kohl Business IQ”.
The factor getting the most attention is “Knows Cost of Production”. Other factors include creating goals, keeping a solid internal record keeping system, maintaining a modest lifestyle, continuously attending agricultural seminars/courses, and maintaining certain attitudes. Farmers who have many of the factors addressed in writing score much higher than those who have nothing documented.
In order to continue to build on their management skills, Dr. Kohl recommends that a farmer reexamine/re-score their Business IQ annually to see where progress has been made and where progress still needs to be made.
The bottom line is that a farmer that has strong management skills/Business IQ can navigate through challenging times (“weather the storms”) by keeping a close watch on their ability to plan, strategize, execute, and monitor the various aspects of their farm business.
Coming up on January 4, 2022, ag bankers have the opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Kohl as he shares his outlook for 2022 and beyond. Be sure to check out the Midwest Economic Forecast Forum, and you can even invite your ag customers to join your group to hear directly from Dr. Kohl as well. The session will be recorded and available for two weeks, so even in January 4 doesn’t work for you or your clients, check it out online.
Happy Holidays.
Wilke is Vice President, Agribusiness Lender at Denmark State Bank and serves on the WBA Agricultural Bankers Section Board.
This year’s event centers around the theme “Rise”
The Wisconsin Banker’s Association is thrilled to announce that the annual Bank Executives Conference will be back in person February 9–11, 2022 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. This is the premiere event for bank leaders in the state. The theme of this year’s event will be “Rise.” Wisconsin bankers have risen to the occasion over the course of the pandemic, and this conference will address what it will take to be resilient and relevant in 2022.
Networking
Being back in person opens the door for the kind of networking opportunities that bank leaders have been craving for nearly two years. The conference will kick off with a networking reception on Wednesday evening, but bankers are invited and encouraged to arrive earlier for optional afternoon “banker-only” peer group discussions starting at 2:30 p.m. Peer group discussions are geared toward the roles of CEOs, CFOs, credit and lending, operations, and organizational development. Opportunities to connect with fellow bankers, WBA Associate Members, and WBA staff will be plentiful throughout the conference, with an exhibitor Marketplace providing a dedicated space for making connections.
Executive-Level Education
The WBA Bank Executives Conference brings national experts to Wisconsin, while providing tailored programming specific to the needs of banking leaders in our state. Among the trending topics that will be covered at the conference are:
- Changes that emerged during the pandemic that are now here to stay
- Talent recruitment and retention
- Technology, fintech, and digital transformation
- Cryptocurrency
- And more!
The opening keynote session is titled, “Business as Unusual: How to Future-Proof Your Business in Transformational Times.” In this engaging, provocative, and insightful keynote session, acclaimed global futurist and best-selling author Jack Uldrich will not only discuss how the Coronavirus is transforming the world of tomorrow, he will explain why it is accelerating many of the trends that were already at work prior to the epidemic. History reminds us that great crises produce great change — as well as great opportunities. To take advantage of these extraordinary opportunities, businesses must position themselves now to operate in a world where “business as unusual” is the new “usual.” This session will help leaders at every level of an organization leverage ten “unconventional” techniques to succeed in today’s — and tomorrow’s — transformational times.
Dr. Chris Kuehl, managing director of Armada Corporate Intelligence, will present a keynote session, “2022 – The Real Recovery Year?” That honor was supposed to go to 2021, but we all know what happened over the last several months — inflation, labor shortage, supply chain breakdowns, and the repeated resurgence of the virus. Now we have these lingering issues along with the reactions — higher interest rates, efforts to restore, continued engagement by the government. The bankers have been placed squarely in the middle of all this and expected to do most of the heavy lifting. Does that continue and what can we really expect as far as growth and recovery?
For more details on programming and to view the full agenda, please visit www.wisbank.com/bec.
Banking leaders are eager to rise to the challenges ahead of them, and the conference will provide actionable tools and knowledge attendees can bring back to their banks and communities.
Recognition
The 2021 Banker of the Year will be announced at the conference, recognizing a bank CEO or president (or an individual who has recently retired from these positions) who has made an outstanding effort throughout their career in service to their bank, to their community, and to the banking profession.
The Wisconsin Bankers Foundation Financial Education Innovation Award will be presented at a special luncheon on February 10. This prestigious award recognizes a bank’s unique efforts to enhance the financial capability of consumers in their community, whether it’s a new kind of educational game for students, curriculum developed for adult seminars, or some other new or innovative approach to financial education.
The 50- and 60-Year Clubs recognize bankers who have served in the banking industry for 50 and 60 years, respectively. These awards will be presented during the special luncheon at the conference to honor professionals who have dedicated their careers to the banking industry.
Entertainment
Comedian, Emmy award-winning journalist, and Wisconsin native Charlie Berens — who rose to fame from his video series, “The Manitowoc Minute” — will provide the entertainment for the Chairman’s Dinner Program on February 10. Attendees can expect lots of laughs from the author of the recently released book, “The Midwest Survival Guide: How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink, and Eat. . . Everything With Ranch.” Berens has been featured on Fox, CBS, Funny or Die, TBS Digital, Variety, MTV News, and more. In 2013, he won an Emmy for “The Cost of Water” while reporting for Texas news station KDAF. “The Manitowoc Minute” series has garnered millions of views and paved the way for a sold-out standup comedy tour. Geez, Louise, this is sure to be a hilarious show you won’t want to miss!
Register
To register for the conference, please visit www.wisbank.com/bec. We look forward to seeing you Wednesday, February 9–Friday, February 11 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells!
Wisconsin Bank Attorney: The Board of Bar Examiners of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin has approved the following completed WBA educational programs for use toward the Wisconsin mandatory Continuing Legal Education (CLE) requirement for attorneys. None of the activities listed below include Ethics and Professional Responsibility (EPR) hours or qualify for GAL education.
WBA Compliance Forum, February 2020
3.0 CLE Hours
February 18, 2020 – Stevens Point
February 19, 2020 – Wisconsin Dells
February 20, 2020 – Pewaukee
WBA Compliance Forum, June 2020
3.0 CLE Hours
June 23, 2020 – live webcast
WBA Compliance Forum, October 2020
1.5 CLE Hours
October 28, 2020 – live webcast
WBA Compliance Forum, June 2021
3.0 CLE Hours
June 22, 2021 – Stevens Point
June 23, 2021 – Madison
WBA Trust Conference, May 2021
5.5 CLE Hours
May 18, 2021 – live webcast
WBA Compliance Forum, November 2021
4.0 CLE Hours
November 9, 2021 – Wausau
November 10, 2021 – Madison
WBA In-House Legal Counsel Webinar Series
September 2021: Mergers and Acquisitions, Pre and Post M/A Issues to Consider
2.0 CLE Hours
October 2021: Troubled Business Borrowers, Deal with Real and Personal Property in a Defaulted Loan
2.0 CLE Hours
By Rose Oswald Poels
Last month I highlighted the financial literacy awards that our non-profit arm, the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation (WBF), distributed to several bankers in recognition of their extensive financial education efforts during our last fiscal year. Today, I’d like to share a review of several different initiatives that WBF engaged in this last fiscal year, as well as ask for your continued support so we are well-positioned for 2022.
With the help of your generous donations, WBF was able to raise $49,000 last fiscal year, which allowed for countless opportunities to further invest in the financial future of people across our state. One of WBF’s long-standing initiatives is providing scholarships to high school seniors and college students. This past year, WBF awarded a total of six scholarships valued at $10,000 to high school seniors and college students interested in banking and finance. WBF provided financial education resources to bankers across the state who reached nearly 6,000 students and adults through financial literacy-focused presentations. Finally, the research component of WBF allowed us to share with bankers and the public comprehensive and comparative data on the industry through Banconomics.com.
As I look forward to the exciting work ahead of us including a silent auction to be held in conjunction with WBA’s Bank Executive Conference in February, Teach Children to Save Day in April, as well as establishing grant programming for non-profits, I encourage you to consider donating items for the auction and/or supporting us financially to keep these programs and resources accessible for many years to come!
Since WBF is a public charity not only are your contributions 100% tax deductible, but they also support an important mission of the industry’s which is empowering financial decisions through scholarship, education, and research. I encourage you to consider making a contribution in the form of a donated item for our February silent auction or a financial contribution. The WBF Board would like to raise over $70,000 this year.
The long-held tradition of promoting financial responsibility to individuals throughout the state is a point of pride to our member bankers. In acknowledging this need for resources and education in our communities, along with the scholarships, grants, and research WBF provides, I thank you in advance for considering a gift to WBF that will keep the holiday spirit going long past the current season.
By Lisa Higgins, State Bank of Cross Plains
Volatility, supply chain issues, China, and grit were common topics this year at the American Bankers Association’s Agricultural Bankers Conference.
Dr. Kohl’s advice on how to deal with volatility? Manage the controllables and manage around the un-controllables. Unless you have a crystal ball, risk management is the best thing we can do to combat volatility in the markets. As bankers, the most important thing we can do is structure our deals and accounts correctly to avoid more risk.
Supply chain issues were also top of mind, with the holidays right around the corner and the bullish commodity markets. The resounding response? Not surprising. . . manage risk and mitigate it by adapting. Our producers need to utilize as many marketing opportunities as possible. Senior Director – Procurement of Tyson Foods, Inc. Tom Schaeffer shared a little about Tyson’s “new normal” after the pandemic shut down their plants. He says that companies need to be on the offense now, and shift from efficiency-centric teams to deliver more resiliency and effectiveness. He also noted that most issues are labor related and the will to work, versus an actual shortage of workers. He says to embrace the reactive, embed the proactive and never let crises go to waste.
We heard from a couple of speakers that addressed grit and resiliency. Bonnie Ayars, teacher, and program specialist for Ohio State University gave an empowering talk about leadership and true grit. She said to view grit as not a talent, but who we are internally. She challenged us to find our passion and persevere, and that those two things equal achievement, which is grit.
The theme for this year’s Ag Bankers Conference was “Moving Forward,” but we did a lot of looking back. From revisiting the 1980s farm crisis and volatility, to reviewing the lessons learned from the pandemic, we had a chance to think about where we were and what we have to look forward to. Will history repeat itself or did we learn from our past? One thing is for certain: our industry and our country are full of resilient, gritty individuals, including our closing speaker Travis Mills, retired US Army Staff Sergeant. He is a quadruple amputee, New York Times Best-Selling Author, and founder of Travis Mills Foundation. He shared a few things that he has learned on his journey: 1. Don’t dwell but reminisce on the past. 2. Control your attitude. 3. Never give up, never quit. In my opinion, those three things are a direct reflection of who our farmers are and a parallel to our industry. Good reminders and great advice.
We had some familiar faces who presented, and some new ones who will more than likely become regulars on our Ag Speaker Circuit. One thing is for sure, in-person breakouts and general sessions were a relief to attend, vs Zoom calls or recorded videos.
It was a great to see the speakers and peers in person to ask questions, network and glean a bit of wisdom from.
Higgins is Vice President, Ag/Commercial Banker at State Bank of Cross Plains and serves on the WBA Agricultural Bankers Section Board.
By Kenneth D. Thompson
I would like to formally invite all WBA-member banking executives and leaders in Wisconsin to join me at WBA’s Bank Executive Conference. This annual, premiere banking event allows for nearly endless opportunities to network among peers as well as develop and learn skills from nationally recognized speakers and leaders in the banking industry.
The Bank Executive Conference will be held February 9–11 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Wisconsin Dells. Featuring both general and breakout sessions, opportunities for networking, and recognition of several prestigious awards, there will no doubt be something of interest for every leader in your bank.
I am also excited to announce that this annual conference will return in -person for the first time since 2020. I look forward to not only celebrating a return to togetherness while also honoring the wide range of successes banking leaders in our state have achieved during such a treacherous time.
The unifying theme of this year’s conference will be “Rise”. I encourage you and your executive team to begin thinking about how your bank has risen to the occasion over the course of the past two years and how resiliency and action have allowed Wisconsin banks and their communities to strengthen along the way. Which of the changes that emerged during the pandemic are here to stay? How will you approach changes in talent recruitment and retention, technology and cybersecurity, and merger and acquisition trends? What will it mean to be relevant in this new environment? The conference will address these questions and prepare you to take action on the work that lies ahead of you. Join us to discover how you will rise to the new leadership challenges of 2022.