2021 2022
YEAR IN REVIEW
President’s Message:
AS we resume more and more of our pre-pandemic activities, there is much discussion around which of the changes we adopted over the past two+ years are here to stay. When I look at Wisconsin’s banking industry, it is apparent to me that the new innovations are a reflection of who our state’s bankers have always been. Modern flexibility for bank employees, for example, reiterates that banks are committed to investing in their most valuable assets — their people. Similarly, the adoption of new technologies and cybersecurity measures reinforces the level of service and trustworthiness banks have always been proud to offer their clients. This Year in Review is designed to illustrate the ways in which the Wisconsin Bankers Association
and its subsidiaries have served our members over the past fiscal year, June 2021–May 2022. As we celebrate WBA’s 130th anniversary, we take note of the ways the roots of the organization have strengthened over more than a century and enabled us not only to weather storms, but also to continue to grow. Thank you for your membership in WBA and for working together with us to demonstrate that even as we adapt over time, the longstanding values of our industry — economic prosperity, community focus, and leadership — are here to stay.
Rose Oswald Poels WBA President and CEO
Outgoing Chair’s Message:
THE events of recent years have rapidly accelerated the rate of change in our industry and in our society in general. Things we thought would take months or years, particularly in terms of technological advances, we were able to accomplish at a record pace. This Year in Review outlines the ways we were able to come together as a professional organization
The companies of WBA, Inc. Working together for you. ™
to tackle the challenges racing toward us and prepare for what lies ahead. Thanks to WBA, our teams have the cutting-edge resources they need to excel at their jobs and advance our industry — far exceeding what any one employer could offer on their own. My philosophy when I began my term as WBA chair was to “take action.” Looking back over the numbers, we certainly packed a lot of action into just one year, and we are not slowing down. We are often reminded that we are currently experiencing the slowest rate of change we will ever know in the future. It has truly been an honor for me to represent WBA as chair this year, and I look forward to the ways we will continue to work together to stay ahead of the curve.
Ken Thompson, 2021–22 WBA Chair President and CEO Capitol Bank, Madison
MIDWEST BANKERS Insurance Services
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