Executive Letter: Advancing Together — A Year of Impactful Accomplishments
By Rose Oswald Poels
As WBA’s 2024–2025 fiscal year comes to a close this week, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to you and your team for your continued membership in and support of WBA. As I reflect on the past fiscal year, it is clear that the strength of our Association lies in the active involvement of members like you, and I am proud of all we have accomplished together to support a strong, innovative, and resilient banking industry in Wisconsin.
WBA’s impact this year has been substantial. On the regulatory front, we worked closely with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue to implement the new state income tax exemption — an historic, WBA-led legislative win that is expected to deliver our industry at least $29 million in tax savings annually. We also successfully defended the industry by preventing harmful interchange and merchant category code legislation and advanced modernization efforts through updates to the Wisconsin Trust Code and other laws.
Beyond advocacy, WBA offered over seventy-five in-person education programs attended by more than 6,000 bankers, delivered timely legal and compliance resources, and continued to help members reduce benefit costs — saving banks over $2.7 million through our Association Health Plan. You will find more details about these and other significant accomplishments in the July/August 2025 “Year in Review” issue of Wisconsin Banker.
Looking back on our numerous advocacy successes and the valuable resources we have delivered to members, I am energized and optimistic about the collaborative progress we will make in the 2025–2026 fiscal year.
I also want to thank WBA Board Chair Al Araque, the Officers and the rest of the 2024–2025 WBA Board, for their impactful leadership, engagement, and support this past year. Together, the membership, Board, and staff accomplished a lot for the benefit of the industry!
Please watch for your WBA dues invoice for the upcoming 2025–2026 fiscal year, which begins June 1. If you have any questions about your invoice or membership, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. I look forward to continuing to work with and for you in the year ahead.
