PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Trogden

Association

We want you! – to get involved with YOUR association! There are so many ways to be active with the ABA and we would love to have you join us! Listed below are many ways for you to “get in the game.”

COMMITTEES:

• Education Committee – This committee partners with our Professional Development department to suggest hot topics for continuing education. Our world-class education department wants to optimize our offerings for the most up-to-date training to meet our members’ needs.

• Emerging Leaders Committee – Open to everyone, this committee coordinates with the Emerging Leaders Council to create and promote networking events, further financial literacy, and advance banking as a career.

• Government Relations Advisory Council – This committee reads bills as needed and meets every week during the state legislative session. Committee members also contact legislators and testify at legislative committee meetings.

• Member Engagement and Marketing Committee – This committee ensures that our members understand all of the many benefits ABA offers its members and ensures our programs and services are reaching their target audiences.

Please contact any of us at the ABA or ABA leadership to join a committee!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:

We offer a plethora of educational options for every employee in your bank with our Annual Convention, conferences, schools, and seminars! Both in-person and virtual. We can also bring development directly to you by arranging for a speaker to come to the bank for your own personalized in-house training. We are so very grateful when you choose to invest your education dollars with us. This allows us to then invest them back in you with our programs and services.

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS:

Speaking in one voice matters, and this is our number one member benefit! ABA tirelessly advocates for our industry every day at the state and federal level. The easiest micro-volunteer opportunity for you is utilizing the Advocacy Alert links found weekly in the Tuesday eNews, as well as occasional special alerts about pending legislation or rule making. You’ve heard me say it before, but CLICK THE LINK and let your Legislators, Congressmen and Regulators know how what they are proposing affects our industry and your customers! Those links are pre-populated with talking points that you can edit to customize for your bank and your community. Once you’ve clicked the link, send it to other bank employees as well as customers. Customers are often directly impacted by many of these proposals, and they should also weigh in; we may be their only avenue to participate in the legislative process.

ABA BANKPAC:

Yet another path to speak with one voice. Our PAC gives to friends of banking, no matter what side of the aisle they are on. We NEED those who understand our industry and understand banking issues to be at the table when important decisions are being made. If we are not at the table, we will absolutely be on the menu. Your contributions to our PACs make a huge difference in getting candidates elected that will support banking. I encourage you to strive for the 100% club, but any amount makes a difference. (Yes, I am personally a 100% club member!) A heartfelt thank you for those that have contributed, you will see our current 2024 PAC members further back in the magazine. You can contribute online on our website or by mailing a check to the association. Please also consider holding a 13th Board meeting which provides a great opportunity for your board members to learn about what government relations items are pertinent to the bank.

These are just a few ways to get involved with the ABA, and I hope you will consider one or several of them! Your time and talent keep our association vibrant and relevant, and we welcome any new ideas you may have. I, as well as ABA leadership, are only a phone call or email away. I’m traveling the state and would love to hear your ideas in person with a bank visit. Please let me know when I can come and spend time with you at your bank. Happy summer, and I hope to see you soon!

Aba Officers

Brad Chambless, Chairman Farmers and Merchants Bank, Stuttgart

Chris Gosnell, Chairman-Elect Farmers Bank & Trust Company, Magnolia

Jason Tennant, Vice Chairman CS Bank, Eureka Springs

Scott Saffold, Treasurer Union Bank & Trust Co., Monticello

Jim Taylor, Past Chairman First Security Bancorp, Rogers

Lorrie Trogden, President & CEO Arkansas Bankers Association, Little Rock

Board Of Directors

Johnny Adams, Conway

Ben Buergler, Bentonville

Latrecia Carroll, Little Rock

Asa Cottrell, Little Rock

Joe Dunn, Little Rock

Robin Hackett, Greenbrier

Heather Jones, Little Rock

Jeff Lynch, Little Rock

Katherine Mitchell, White Hall

John Olaimey, Little Rock

Calvin Puryear, Dumas

Randy Rawls, Warren

Lori Ross, Arkadelphia

Loren Shackelford, Fayetteville

Rob S. Tiffee, Little Rock

Ron Witherspoon, Little Rock