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Chair’s Column: Amplifying the Impact of WBA

By Al Araque

It was my honor to be installed as Chair of WBA’s Board of Directors on June 5 at the WBA office, and welcome our newest Board members and thank those who finished their terms for their service.

During the installation ceremony, we were also able to express gratitude to outgoing Chair Donna Hoppenjan, president and CEO of Mound City Bank in Platteville, for her dedication to WBA and the banking industry. Donna’s focus during her term was an appeal to members to be the inspiration for the future of the industry. It was clear from the staff reports in the Board meeting following the ceremony which cited increased member engagement, that her goal was achieved.

It is both gratifying and humbling that my career trajectory has led me to Wisconsin and WBA. When I moved to Wisconsin with my family in 2014, we immediately fell in love with the state and are happy to call it home. I was drawn to my current role with Johnson Financial Group in 2021 because of founder Samuel C. Johnson’s commitment to our communities and always putting people first — associates and clients alike.

As I was contemplating the focus for my term, the word “impact” resonated with me. Our work is not just about the transactions we facilitate, it is about the lives we touch. Every loan we approve helps a business grow, every mortgage we provide helps a family find a home, and every financial literacy program we offer empowers individuals to take control of their future. These actions ripple through our communities, fostering growth, stability, and opportunity.

I was proud when a former Chicago customer tracked me down years later to thank me for helping him establish a 529 account for his daughter which enabled him to pay for her college education. I realized that was just a single example of our industry’s impact. WBA represents over 30,000 bankers in Wisconsin and we all have those powerful stories.

There is even more we can do to amplify our impact, especially when we take advantage of the numerous opportunities WBA has to offer. Whether it is exchanging ideas in WBA Committees and Sections, in the Employee Resource Group or Peer Groups; or participating in the annual Power of Community Week, together, we can reach more community members, achieve greater outcomes, and make lasting impressions.

I am fortunate to begin my term with positive momentum. The foundation built by my predecessors will serve me well as I work to strengthen engagement and inspiration among WBA members. The theme of impact implies a change in people’s lives, and my goal for myself and for WBA is to leave our industry better tomorrow than it is today. I am looking forward to achieving that goal together.

This is your Association. Like WBA President and CEO, Rose Oswald Poels, my door is always open. We encourage communication from members. WBA was established over 130 years ago and has been witness to the constant evolution of the banking industry. As the industry adapts and pivots to be there for customers, so does the Association. Your involvement is vital.

Araque is SVP, director of consumer, private, and business banking with Johnson Financial Group, Racine, and the 2024–2025 WBA Chair.

 

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Executive Letter: Reflecting With Gratitude While Looking Ahead

By Rose Oswald Poels

As our 2023–2024 fiscal year closes on Friday, I reflect back on all we accomplished together, and the inspiration of bankers witnessed in so many ways as members engaged with WBA and others at education programs, Capitol Day, and through our various advocacy initiatives. I am very grateful for the ongoing support of, and active involvement from members which led to an incredibly impactful year of achievements for Wisconsin’s banking industry.

As we take stock of the achievements of WBA during the 2023–2024 fiscal year there is much to be proud of.

Building on decades-long efforts to educate elected officials on the policy disparities between banks and credit unions, WBA was able to achieve a historic, unprecedented, and bi-partisan legislative victory this past year which provides banks a state income tax exemption on income earned from certain commercial- and ag-purpose loans of $5 million or less to individuals or businesses located in Wisconsin. This gives our industry an estimated $29 million in annual savings, and it should be noted that no other state has this same provision for banks.

WBA achieved numerous other state legislative victories this session for the banking industry. These victories reduced regulatory burden, provided greater protections for public deposits, and lengthened municipal loan terms.

Member support of WBA means the association’s impact extends well beyond the Capitol. Other indispensable services provided by WBA include:

Professional Development and Networking – Over 80 WBA-hosted educational opportunities were offered, with over 6,000 bankers attending in-person training events.

Compliance Resources – WBA’s legal team developed many complimentary compliance videos, guides, and interactive Legal Live sessions, along with a monthly newsletter and -subscription video series, in-house compliance training, and manuals as resources for members. WBA’s subsidiary, FIPCO, also offers compliance support through its origination software and its consulting services, ShareFI and IT Audit.

Employee Benefits – Participating banks in our Association Health Plan (AHP) are saving over $2.5 million annually in premiums.

We will shine a light on the myriad other ways that WBA membership proved valuable during the last year in the “Year in Review” section of the July/August issue of Wisconsin Banker. Reflecting on those legislative wins and valuable member resources makes me hopeful and excited about the collaborative work ahead of us in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.

Please watch your mail starting this week when the annual WBA dues invoice arrives at your bank for our new fiscal year, beginning June 1. If you have any questions or concerns about your membership, please contact me directly. As always, I look forward to working with you and for you.

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Executive Letter: The Value of Your WBA Legal Team

By Rose Oswald Poels

As our fiscal year ends, we typically look at various association data points to track the value that WBA is providing members. Given my past role working in our legal department, I am always interested to see the volume of calls and emails that the WBA Legal Team handles from members. Both WBA attorneys, Heather MacKinnon and Scott Birrenkott, make it a priority to respond to the wide variety of questions posed by members daily. The scope and depth of their knowledge makes the legal call program an incredibly valuable resource, and this year they answered more than 2,000 calls. We are particularly pleased when members try out the legal call program for the first time because we know it will lead to a greater comfort level with making future inquiries. It is a perfect example of the value proposition of WBA membership since there is no additional charge for these calls, and it is just one of many opportunities for your bank to benefit from the expertise and guidance of our legal team.

The depth and variety of resources offered by the WBA Legal Team beyond the call program has grown over the years. Below is a listing of just some of the resources available to members that your staff should be aware of and take advantage of.

WBA Compliance Journal: This monthly publication released via WBA’s Wisconsin Banker Daily e-publication and archived on the WBA website delivers articles about new compliance law, industry news, and insights. The website also provides helpful indexes for researching past articles.

Legal Live: Hear directly from WBA Legal about recent compliance concerns, hot issues, and best practice recommendations during free Legal Live webinar discussions. Watch for announcements in our Daily e-publication for the next periodic webinar.

Toolkits, Banker Guides, and other Resources: Numerous resources are made available on the WBA website and in the Compliance Folder of the WBA Best Practices Library, including Flood Insurance and Electronic Signature toolkits, Banker Guides for Marital Property Act, Transfer by Affidavit, LLCs, and a host of FAQs and other frequently requested resources.

Compliance Corner Videos: Informal, short videos of the latest agency guidance are released each month and can be found on WBA’s YouTube channel and website where they are archived.

Referral Letters to DFI: To help combat against deceptive use of banks’ names, the WBA Legal Team routinely reviews redacted versions of solicitations which include deceptive use of bank name for submission to DFI asking for a cease and desist order be issued against the wrongdoer. Please email the legal department when you discover such deceptive marketing.

Industry Advocacy: In ongoing efforts to reduce regulatory burden, the WBA Legal Team routinely files comment letters with regulatory agencies providing insight and impact of agency proposals.

Other WBA Legal Team Resources made available at nominal amounts:
The WBA Account Titling Video Series
(The WBA Legal Process Video Series – to be released this summer)
WBA Negotiable Instruments Manual
WBA Procedures Upon a Depositor’s Death Manual
WBA Wisconsin Law Book 2022 (new 2024 version and ‘24 supplement for 2022 manual currently in the making)
WBA Safe Deposit Box Manual

Finally, another recent service offered by the legal department is custom in-house compliance training at a very reasonable cost. We have already had a few banks take the team up on this opportunity for one of our attorneys to provide your staff with compliance training tailored to the needs of your bank on a robust list of topics. The training may be conducted in-person or as a virtual meeting.

WBA is proud to offer these local and meaningful compliance services to our members, which is not offered by every bankers’ association in the country. Your ongoing membership and support of WBA helps make this possible so I encourage you to continue to utilize the many resources we offer to your team and your bank.

View and Bookmark Compliance Resources Page

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Chair’s Column: Inspiring Our Future

By Donna Hoppenjan

A year ago, when I assumed the role of Chair for the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s Board of Directors, my primary goal was to instill a spirit of inspiration among our members, motivating them to pave the way for future generations. As my term approaches its end on May 31, I take great pride in reflecting on the remarkable progress our membership has made in just twelve months.

For many bankers, the initial step towards ensuring the future prosperity of our industry begins with investing in their own professional growth. Over the past year, thousands of bankers from across Wisconsin have actively engaged with WBA’s array of programs. These offerings, which include educational workshops, seminars, peer groups, and committee involvement, have empowered our members to enhance their skill sets and inspire success among their peers.

Beyond supporting our current professionals, WBA, in partnership with bankers across the state, has spearheaded efforts to connect students with opportunities to explore a future career within the banking industry. Through career night presentations that attracted over 200 students and the Association’s newly created ‘Careers in Banking’ website landing page, bankers have had the ability to foster connections and demonstrate the rewarding career paths available throughout our industry. In these efforts, bankers have played a crucial role in sharing their expertise and passion for banking with the next generation.

Furthermore, Wisconsin’s historic tax parity for banks is certainly among the most significant of our many achievements this fiscal year. For decades, countless bankers have focused their efforts on sharing with policymakers the importance of leveling the playing field and promoting fairness within the banking industry. This outstanding accomplishment — put forth by the WBA membership — will shape the banking landscape and ensure banks in Wisconsin remain relevant and competitive for generations to come.

By standing united, staying educated, and remaining engaged, our membership has proven to be a powerful force for progress. Thank you for the honor of serving as your Chair, and here’s to the bright future that awaits us.

Hoppenjan is president and CEO of Mound City Bank, Platteville, and the 2023–2024 WBA Chair.

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Make the Most of Your Bank’s Benefits With WBA

As a member of the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA), there are a variety of ways for you and your team to make the most of your member benefits and get involved with the Association.

Get Informed

Wisconsin Banker Daily: Landing in your inbox every weekday morning, this e-publication is a must for all bankers looking to remain up to date on banking-related topics and Association updates. With just a click, start your day with the information most relevant to you and your team.

Banconomics.com: Compiled by UFS LLC and distributed by the Wisconsin Bankers Foundation, these reports provide insightful banking data and benchmarks from the FDIC’s quarterly call reports on asset quality, liquidity, and profitability for seven Midwest states.

Best Practices Library: To aid members in performing their jobs at a high level, WBA and representatives from our various committees have created and curated a number of checklists, forms, and frequently asked questions that are available free to members.

Compliance Resources: From the monthly ‘WBA Compliance Journal’ to the Legal Call Program and online resources, WBA’s attorneys are available to answer compliance questions and aid your team in staying abreast of new and changing regulation.

Get Ahead

Advocacy Officer: As bankers with an interest in public policy and providing their input on legislative and regulatory policy items, these banker volunteers regularly communicate with bank officers and directors, coordinate advocacy programs such as “Take Your Legislator to Work” days and fundraising initiatives, as well as stay abreast of the latest legislative and governmental issues.

Associate Member Directory: Made up of a broad spectrum of third-party providers from around the country, WBA Associate Members often specialize in specific products and services related to banks. WBA member banks may choose to partner with these companies and take advantage of the meaningful and relevant expertise that informs the Association and bankers.

Building Our Leaders of Tomorrow (BOLT): BOLT provides current and emerging bank leaders with the opportunity to learn, network, and expand their leadership in the banking industry. Two leadership summits are held per year to encourage members to make connections, discuss challenges, and explore new opportunities for personal and professional development.

Education Events: Designed for bankers of all levels to help with their professional development, WBA offers hundreds of in-person and virtual educational programs annually. From one-hour webinars to five-day conferences, WBA’s programs are in-demand, reputable, and engaging for the whole team.

Subsidiaries: Whether seeking software and consulting to strengthen the bank’s services or insurance coverage for the bank and its people, WBA’s family of companies FIPCO, Midwest Bankers Insurance Services, and WBA Employee Benefits Corporation offers cost-effective, quality products to banks.

Wisconsin Bankers Foundation: WBA’s non-profit arm serves to promote financial literacy and capability to the public and to broaden consumer empowerment in the financial services industry through education, scholarships, grants, and research. All bankers may access financial literacy resources to aid in their efforts to educate their communities.

Get Involved

CEOnly and CFOnly Network: Open to all Wisconsin-chartered bank CEOs and CFOs, this network focuses on idea sharing and building connections related to Wisconsin’s banking industry. Bankers are provided with a platform to anonymously ask questions and receive advice as well as connect with peers at up to three in-person networking events.

Committees, Sections, and Advisory Boards: WBA Committees, Sections, Advisory Boards are a great opportunity for bankers representing a variety of areas in the bank to contribute to the Association and see firsthand the impact on Wisconsin’s banking industry. These volunteers may discuss current and future education and training programs, create practical resources available in WBA’s Best Practices Library, and work alongside peers from across the state.

Compliance Forum: As the premier Wisconsin-specific program focused on presenting updates and addressing the latest hot topics in compliance, the Compliance Forum allows members to attend several events throughout the year, gain CLE and other compliance certifications (subject to approval), and access to the Forum’s Google Group to connect with peers.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Employee Resource Group (ERG): Formed in 2022, the DEI ERG is a safe space for bankers of historically underrepresented backgrounds to meet, hold open-forum discussions, ask questions, and share ideas.

WBA Connect: WBA’s collection of banker-only peer groups is a free benefit open to all members. The peer groups represent bankers in several areas of the institution and are designed as a non-competitive avenue to keep bankers connected and help one another grow.

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608-441-1200

4721 S Biltmore Ln.
Madison, WI 53718

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