PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

How many of you read that quote and then asked who is MacGyver? Google him. No matter your age, I think you will find it entertaining. I would like to use this quarter’s column to talk about the news and resources that make up the ABA’s “map.” Legend has it that all MacGyver needed was a paperclip, his swiss knife and duct tape – then boom! Anything could be accomplished! We are a small association doing mighty things; sometimes with anything we can find, like paperclips and duct tape. We utilize every resource we have to meet your needs and provide long-lasting value for our members.

"Mostly I like to see how the world works. Meet people. Learn how they're different - and the same." – MacGyver. This is a great quote to sum up our first-class professional development department. This summer is full of opportunities to learn and network with your peers. Our upcoming conferences include our MEGA Conference in September and our Emerging Leaders Leadership Conference in October. We took a survey for hot topic ideas, so take a look at the brochures when you get them, and you might see the topic you submitted! ChatGPT is everywhere, and we have several opportunities for education with webinars, MEGA Conference, and an article in this issue. Our goal is to provide the education you need when you need it. If you have a topic you would like to see included in a conference, school, or seminar, call us and let us know! We can also arrange speakers for you if you would like to hold in-house training.

"Well, when it comes down to me against a situation, I don't like the situation to win." –MacGyver. Spot on when it comes to legislation and regulation. The state legislative session is over, and we played A LOT of defense this session; fighting hard against bad bills. There is an article in this issue outlining the main bills that passed and affect banking, as well as a list of bills that we opposed that did not pass. If you have questions about any of those, don’t hesitate to give me a call. We will be offering education on new pertinent laws and continue publishing articles about them. When the Bureau of Legislative Research completes its summary of all new Arkansas laws, we will link to that in our eNews and on our website.

Congress remains in full swing, and I hope you have responded to the three advocacy alerts that have been in eNews over the last several weeks. (If you are not receiving eNews on Tuesdays, please let us know!)

· SAFE Act – We are in the best position on this issue than we have been in for several years. Members from both sides of the aisle have indicated that there is a willingness and commitment to move SAFE forward. A markup could come this summer before the August recess. Please utilize the link in eNews or on our website to let your Congressman and Senators know that you support the bill. The letter is pre-populated, but please add any customer stories and change the wording to your preference.

· Durbin 2.0 – Senators Marshall and Durbin recently introduced S. 4764 and Representatives Gooden and Welch introduced H.R. 8874. These bills expand government routing mandates to the credit card market. As we all know, the original Durbin amendment on debit cards did nothing to save customers money, nor will this new amendment. This legislation will force banks to do business with networks that may be less safe and reliable. Please utilize the link in eNews or on our website to let your Congressmen and Senators know that you do not support this bill, and this bad legislation that will negatively affect your customers and their constituents. Retailers are going all in on this issue, and we must counter those voices.

· 1071 Reform – Ask members of Congress to support H.J. Res. 66. The final 1071 rule is unnecessarily far-reaching and will significantly increase the compliance burden on community banks and potentially put small businesses’ privacy at risk. This is a Congressional Review Act resolution that will express Congress’ disapproval with the CFPB’s rule. Please utilize the link in eNews or on our website to voice your support.

"You don't go to people with your problems. You come to your friends."- MacGyver. When it comes to the issues we face, we want our friends that understand and support banking at the table when our industry’s fate is being decided. To do that, we must support them and help get them elected. The biggest investment you can make in our government relations program is a contribution to ABA BankPAC. We have both a federal and a state PAC, and both need your support. A reminder, the federal PAC can only take individual contributions, and the state PAC can take both individual and corporate contributions; this includes holding companies. I would love to talk with you more about holding a 13th Board meeting to support ABA BankPAC, and you should have received a letter recently detailing that effort. You will see a thank you ad in this issue recognizing those that have made contributions, and we thank you!!

In closing, "A good relationship is a lot like a car. If you want it to work smoothly, you gotta put a lot of work into it, and have the right tools." – MacGyver. The ABA team, our Board, and other volunteers work every day to find the right tools and work our relationships to ensure your “car” performs at maximum capacity to allow you to serve your community, your employees, and your customers. Never hesitate to give me a call, send a text, or email if there is a tool you need, and I hope to see you at your bank or one of our conferences this summer!

Lorrie Trogden, President & CEO