EMERGING LEADERS CONFERENCE Aims to Attract Young Talent

from The Arkansas Banker Fall 2023

THE MILLENNIAL MINUTE

Duncan Bellingrath | President | Emerging Leaders Section

The 2023 Arkansas Bankers Association (ABA) Emerging Leaders Section Conference date is set for October 18-19 in Little Rock. The Emerging Leaders Section (ELS) was established to provide leadership and professional development training for the state’s emerging leaders and to prepare them to become the industry’s next generation of leaders. The ELS council and ABA staff have worked diligently to create a fun and impactful group of presenters for this event. The topics consist of banking trends, self-improvement, and CEO and Legislative panels.

I believe the Emerging Leaders Section is a vital program for the future of the banking industry. Ernst & Young recently released an article regarding the upcoming transformation of the banking industry. While I do not fall under the Gen Z category, the article addresses the transformation that we are seeing today as more and more Baby Boomers retire and the industry needs to backfill these positions. The article projected that Gen Z will account for approximately 27 percent of the workforce by 2025. Banks will need to adapt to attract this vital demographic. The next generation of bankers offers fresh perspectives that align with the increasingly diverse customer base that banks have today.

A main focus of the ELS Council is how to attract young talent and how to educate the next generation of the great careers within the banking industry. I have spoken to a number of high school and college students regarding the banking sector, and it has come to my attention that there exists a prevailing misconception. Many students mistakenly believe that pursuing a college education or specializing in banking and finance is a prerequisite for a career in the banking industry. That is simply not true. The banking sector offers a wide range of opportunities for individuals, regardless of whether they are attending college or majoring in banking and finance. The banking industry is diverse and encompasses various roles and functions, making it accessible to people with different backgrounds and skill sets.

We will talk through and hear from speakers at our fall event on the changes and what the future of banking looks like. I attended my first Emerging Leaders Conference in 2018. I left the conference thinking about what leadership means beyond its definition and the importance of teamwork. I want to encourage you to think about what the future looks like inside your bank. Who will the next generation of leaders be, what co-workers would benefit from attending this conference, and encourage them to register for the conference. I am looking forward to seeing and meeting you and your co-workers at our Emerging Leaders Conference in Little Rock on October 18-19.