Emerging Leaders Update

I always think about my time at the Southwest Graduate School of Banking at SMU during this time of year. While I was there, a group text message started between myself and several classmates. We started talking about all of the incredible experiences we had both in and out of the classroom. The bankers on this group text were from all over the place, including Scottsdale, AZ; Dallas, TX; College Station, TX, and Jonesboro, AR. After not having seen some of these classmates since we graduated back in 2006, I realized again just the power of education. I hope it goes without saying that the education that is available at a graduate school of banking is second to none. The exceptional quality of bankers, speakers, educators, and leaders the schools provide extends every opportunity for bankers to expand their mind in a wide range of topics. Participating in a Bank Simulation (BankSim) for me was a highlight of the educational process, and was a great tool to help truly understand asset/liability management. Over the course of the three years of school, we also heard some incredible speakers including Coach Herman Boone (the coach actor Denzel Washington portrayed in the movie Remember the Titans), Jimmy Morris (the Major League Baseball pitcher actor Dennis Quaid portrayed in the movie The Rookie), and Frank Abagnale, Jr. (portrayed by actor Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie Catch Me If You Can). All of these speakers provided amazing and inspirational lessons for all of us to take home. But, there is so much more to graduate banking school than just the educational and academic aspect. As that group text with my former classmates taught me, the schools also provide an enormous networking opportunity that will last throughout our professional careers. As I look back over the ten years since I have graduated from SWGSB, I realized how many times I have reached out to different members of my class in many other states to pick their brains on different banking situations. The relationships developed at the graduate banking school could be even more powerful than the academic portion. The Arkansas Bankers Association offers some amazing scholarship opportunities to help financial institutions and bankers with the cost of these graduate schools. You can visit the Arkansas Bankers Association website (www. arkbankers.org) to view the different schools and scholarships that are available each year. The schools include the Graduate Banking School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Banking at Colorado-Boulder, Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University, and Southwest Graduate School of Banking Foundation at SMU. The Power of Education

ELS PRESIDENT BLAKE FLETCHER SVP / Senior Lending Officer Stone Bank Little Rock

Most of these schools take place in the early summer or in the spring, so the time is now to start planning with your bank management and families to attend one of these in 2018. The opportunity to grow in banking through the power of education will last through your entire career… and you might have a lot of fun in the process!

ABA EMERGING LEADERS SECTION COUNCIL BLAKE FLETCHER | PRESIDENT Stone Bank, Little Rock JOHN ANDERSON | VICE PRESIDENT The Malvern National Bank, Little Rock

GEORGE PURVIS | SEC./TREAS. Cornerstone Bank, Eureka Springs

EDUARDO ABRIL | GROUP 4 First State Bank of DeQueen, DeQueen NATALIE BARTHOLOMEW | GROUP 3 Grand Savings Bank, Rogers JOHN BOLLINGER | GROUP 3 Simmons Bank, Fayetteville BRANDON GENTRY | GROUP 1 Cross County Bank, Wynne ROBERT HARGIS | GROUP 5 The Citizens Bank, Monticello

BURT HICKS | GROUP 5 Simmons Bank, Pine Bluff BLAKE JOHNSON | GROUP 1 Evolve Bank, Jonesboro JAMES LYLE | GROUP 5 McGehee Bank, McGehee RYAN MOORE | GROUP 1 Centennial Bank, Jonesboro HUNTER NORTON | GROUP 3 First Security Bank, Fayetteville

BEN RIDINGS | GROUP 2 Bank of the Ozarks, Little Rock RACHEL SCHWARTZ | GROUP 4 Farmers Bank & Trust, Texarkana SANDY STARNES | GROUP 2 The Citizens Bank, Batesville HUNTER WINDLE | GROUP 4 The Malvern National Bank, Malvern

ABA Professional Development Live Events... Provide you with face-to-face interaction with an expert instructor!

JULY 2017 25 | Implementing the Revised HDMA Rules Crowne Plaza, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Loan Officers, Compliance Officers, Loan Processors and Clerks, and Auditors

26-27 | Real Estate Lending Compliance Crowne Plaza, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Compliance Officers, Loan Officers, Loan Processors, and Auditors

AUGUST 2017 10-12 | Bank Management Seminar Hilton Branson Convention Center, Branson, MO Who Should Attend: Bank Directors, CEOs, Presidents, and Senior Management

22 | New Account Documentation and Compliance Crowne Plaza, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Customer Contact Personnel, Internal Auditors, and New Accounts Officers

SEPTEMBER 2017 13-14 | Call Report Preparation Crowne Plaza, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Bank Operations Personnel, and anyone responsible for preparing, auditing, or signing the call report

19 | BSA/AML Hot Topics Holiday Inn Presidential, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Experienced personnel who maintain or audit Bank Secrecy Act or Anti-Money Laundering compliance efforts

28 | Safe Deposit Box Issues Arkansas Bankers Association, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Safe Deposit Supervisors, Security & Compliance Officers, and Vault Attendants

OCTOBER 2017 10 | Loan Review Arkansas Bankers Association, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Loan Review Officers, Internal Auditors, Credit Administrators, Loan Officers, and Senior Credit Officers

17-18 | IRA School Holiday Inn Presidential, Little Rock Who Should Attend: New Accounts Representatives, CD Personnel, Savings Counselors, Investment and Trust Personnel, and IRA Personnel

19 | Writing Compliant Real Estate Evaluations Internally Arkansas Bankers Association, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Appraisal Department, Credit and Loan Officers, Loan Review Officers

23-25 | ABA Mega Conference Little Rock Marriott, Little Rock Who Should Attend: Ag Lending Personnel, Bank Directors, Marketing Personnel, Security Personnel, Technology Personnel, Trust Officers, and Personal Bankers