‘Tis the Season for Capitol Day 2022
By John Cronin
The holiday season will soon be upon us. Time with friends and family replete with delicious food, beverages, and treats. These are some of the most exciting weeks of the calendar and include days many of us wait the whole year for. At WBA, we have several high-profile occasions we wait the whole year for, too. In the Government Relations department, Capitol Day takes the cake for us as the most important event we coordinate each year.
So while you’re making your holiday plans, be sure to make a plan to attend WBA’s annual Capitol Day, which will be held just a few short weeks later on Tuesday, January 18. After two years of virtual programing due to COVID-19, I am happy to announce we are returning to an in-person format this year.
In the morning, WBA will be coordinating a panel discussion with legislative leaders and presentations by executive agencies. During lunch, attendees will hear The Insiders — former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen and former Senate Majority Leader Chuck Chvala — provide perspective on the 2022 elections. In the afternoon, we will go as a group to the State Capitol to meet with legislators on our key issues.
By holding our Capitol Day on January 18, our timing could not be better. The Legislature will conclude its activities for the 2021–22 legislative session next March, and therefore, we are entering the home stretch. There won’t be a better time to have this critical touchpoint with legislators as we look to drive home our arguments on several key topics. The adage “strength in numbers” could not ring truer for an event like this; we want to have as wide a reach as we possibly can!
Meeting face to face with our elected representatives gives us the opportunity to convey the role and value of our industry in the communities they serve. That in turn sets the stage for
relaying our legislative priorities; these may be law or policy changes we need enacted to remain successful, or defense against threats that would negatively impact our members and industry.
Bankers are also trusted members of the communities our elected officials represent. Capitol Day visits create valuable networking opportunities for our members with legislators as well as peer bankers.
We hope to see many of you on January 18 in Madison!
