Support Behind the Scenes: WBA Associate Members
In today’s business world, no company is entirely self-sufficient. Niche expertise and product specialization have created a competitive landscape where interdependencies lead to growth and efficiency. In order to reach your bank’s strategic goals, you rely on third-party providers for a growing list of products and services so that you can focus on being there for your customers.
While you’re busy being there for your customers, WBA Associate Members will be there for you.
As your association, WBA is constantly building products, services, and partnerships that will help our member banks achieve their goals. WBA’s Associate Membership program is one of the key ways in which we support our member banks. “The WBA’s Associate Members play a very intricate role in the Wisconsin banking industry,” explained Nick Loppnow, WBA director – associate member and education services (pictured, left). “Most of it is behind the scenes, and it’s all to help enhance the banks’ ability to serve their customers and deepen their relationships.”
WBA currently has 150 associate member companies in industries ranging from law, risk management, accounting, and correspondent banking to insurance, IT, marketing, and architecture. This broad spectrum of members means there’s a WBA Associate Member for every third-party partnership your bank relies on to serve your customers. “The WBA’s Associate Membership program offers banks the opportunity to look for companies to fit their specific needs,” said Loppnow. “All of the associate members go through an approval process to ensure that the WBA recommends high-quality companies to its bank members.”
In addition to this staff vetting, the WBA Board of Directors is informed of all new associate members and asked for any feedback on the companies. In fact, many new associates join WBA at the recommendation of a current customer that is a WBA Member Bank.
Do you work with a company that’s not a current WBA Associate Member, but is a great partner for the industry? Refer them to Nick Loppnow.
Through this review process, WBA and its directors strive to accept membership only from companies which are dedicated to serving the banking industry and provide exceptional products, services, and customer support. While our associate member companies pay dues, just like bank members do, the program is not a free-for-all. “Many of our associate members go above and beyond simply paying their dues by supporting the association's efforts to educate and bring bank members together at events,” said Loppnow. “Our associate members thrive on sharing their expertise by presenting on hot topics and supplying articles, white papers, and resource websites as well as dedicating funds through sponsorships to help enhance the bankers’ experiences at WBA events.”
WBA Associate Members, through their membership, demonstrate the same dedication to customers and the Wisconsin banking industry that WBA Member Banks show their own clients and communities through their exceptional service.
The WBA Associate Membership program offers three membership package levels in addition to the standard membership: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. Through their investment in a package-level membership, these WBA Associate Members not only streamline their involvement with the association through advertising, sponsorships, and exhibit opportunities, they further demonstrate their commitment to supporting Wisconsin’s banking industry as a whole. Click here to learn more about the WBA Associate Member Packages.
Visit www.wisbank.com/resources/associate-members for a searchable index of all WBA Associate Members.
By, Amber Seitz
