Excellence in Banking
Banking on Banking
Paul Hickman is the president and CEO of the Arizona Bankers Association, which represents more than 55 banks and credit card companies across the state. The industry employs more than 65,000 Arizonans. He oversees the government relations operations of the Association, and acts as the chief spokesman for the industry in Arizona. Hickman holds juris doctorate, bachelor of science and bachelor of arts degrees — all from Arizona State University.
ARIZONA HAS DONE a remarkable job of diversifying its economy since the Great Recession. With the incredible growth we are now experiencing, we will continue to thrive in many areas. Our banks are an indispensable partner to the business community here. In this “Excellence in Banking” special section, In Business Magazine has compiled a list of some remarkable Arizona banks and their senior bankers as a reference for the business community to get to know these leaders and strong proponents of business. According to the most recent data available from the American Bankers Association (http://bit. ly/az-banks-impact), the banking industry here fuels Arizona’s economic growth with new home, small-business and farm loans to 7.6 million customers. In 2016 alone, Arizona’s banks booked 54,458 new home loans valued at $15.6 billion. Our banks had $6.4 billion in outstanding smallbusiness loans and close to $152 million in small-farm loans that year as well. Arizona’s banks are also giving back in the form of employment, tax revenue and philanthropy. The 67 banks operating in our state insure close to $125 billion in deposits and operate out of 1,224 branches and offices throughout the state. In 2016, Arizona’s banks employed close to 55,000 people, providing more than $4.7 billion in total compensation. These are relatively high-wage jobs with benefits that also provide significant tax revenue at all levels of government. Those employees, in turn, donated more than 260,000 volunteer hours to philanthropy and charity work in our communities. I hope you find this to be a strong reference and useful tool for getting to know those behind our great banking institutions here in Metropolitan Phoenix. These institutions are tirelessly working to assist those building businesses within our community and are unsurpassed in their efforts to support strong financial success. Please enjoy this “Excellence in Banking” special section. Sincerely,
Paul Hickman CEO & President Arizona Bankers Association
Excellence in Banking
Profiles of the Top Valley Bankers & their Companies
FEATURING Jeff V. Friesen, Enterprise Bank & Trust Don Garner, Alliance Bank of Arizona Steve Richins, Comerica Bank
Banking Matters to Business In Business Magazine is proud to present the first annual “Excellence in Banking” special section showcasing top bankers and bank executives in the Valley. These top professionals work day in and day out with business owners to assist in ways that can only be classified as a true asset to business. We sought out professionals at each of the community and national banks with a strong local presence and hand-picked the following as examples of the incredible work that our banking community does, and in a financial climate that is mired in regulation and change. Thanks go out to all the banks in metropolitan Phoenix, who responded to our request for suggestions and assistance in compiling this section and for working with us throughout the years on various articles and editorial so that our readership is in the know when it comes to banking business. We also thank the Arizona Bankers Association and Paul Hickman for their leadership and steadfast support of the banking community here. With technology and government regulation, banks are quickly adapting to change, and business truly benefits from their incredible work.
Alex H. Shaffer, Meadows Bank
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