Leadership looks to future of ICBM
David Knopick, the 2008-2009 chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota, said he is eager to see the association carry out the plans it developed during the last year under the leadership of Mark Hewitt, who was the 2007-2008 ICBM chairman. Knopick, president of St. Stephen State Bank in central Minnesota, and Hewitt, chairman of Northwoods Bank of Minnesota in Park Rapids, are both second-time leaders of the association. Hewitt was ICBM president in 1995-96 and Knopick was chairman in 2001-2002. Association President Marshall MacKay asked the two men to step into the leadership roles, which opened up last year.
"We've got big plans in the education area," Knopick said during the 46th annual convention. "My goals are to continue what has been started. We have set up plenty of things that we want to continue and further develop."
"We spent a lot of time in the last year revisiting our vision," Hewitt explained. "Through those sessions we determined that we want to be the number one association of choice for independent community banks in Minnesota. We asked ourselves, 'What do we need to do to position ourselves that way?' One of the things we decided is that we need to beef up our education area."
Hewitt said the association hopes to put together or co-sponsor training suitable for community bank employees. "We want to develop tracks so if someone decides on a particular line of work, they know they need to take one class after the next. We would have a whole schedule for that person to follow. We need to be more pro-active than re-active on education."
Hewitt said technology continues to play an important role in community banking and the association remains committed to its everyother-year TechXpo meeting. The association recently set up a technology resource network, in which bankers from across the state share ideas about tech-based best practices.
MPF moving away from Chicago
Dick Swanson, president of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, told Minnesota bankers that the Mortgage Partnership Finance program remains an important tool for its members. The Des Moines bank has teamed with the other six banks using the program to move its governance and administration away from Chicago, where it originated. 'That process is well underway, under the leadership of our chief business officer in Des Moines," said Swanson. Michael Wilson is the bank's chief business officer.
Money up for grabs
Swanson reminded bankers that in about two years the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines will complete payments on its portion of the Refcorp bonds, which financed the repayment of assets lost through the S&L industry troubles in the 1980s. That will remove a financial obligation accounting for 20 percent of the bank's income.
"Who gets those income streams? It's going to be completely up for grabs," Swanson said. "You might think, as we do, that's your money. It's our members' money. It was a one-time assessment; once we paid the bill those moneys should return to you, but you can be certain that virtually every member of Congress has their eye on that money."
Stimulus negated by gas prices
Tom Stinson, who has been the state economist since 1987 and has served under four governors, said the economic stimulus package that included checks to many American families was largely negated by high gasoline prices. He said every penny increase in the price of gasoline costs Americans collectively $1 billion. "The stimulus package was $110 billion," he said, "and gas prices ate up about $100 billion of that."
Turning challenges into opportunities
The convention included an energetic presentation from Dave Anderson, the founder of the Famous Dave's restaurants. He commented on the convention theme: Turning challenges into opportunities.
"Turning challenges into opportunities is nothing more than vision," he said. "Turning challenges into opportunities is nothing more than the American spirit of entrepreneurship and free enterprise."
Anderson described some of the ups and downs that characterize his career. "You can't grow unless you have been through the tough times," he said. Even when times are tough, he said, it is important to keep a positive outlook. "If you complain all the time, no one wants to be around you," he said. "But if you keep your chin up, people want to help you."
Source: Northwestern Financial Review
