Community Bankers of Iowa Monthly Banker Update September 2013 | Page 5

Advocating for Iowa’s Community Banks and Bankers
Advocacy, Services, and Education All Under One Roof at CBI’s State Fair Conference
More than 100 attendees were present at the Community Bankers of Iowa’s State Fair Conference to discuss with state and federal legislative leaders and Iowa’s Governor and Lt. Governor the pressing issues affecting the community banking industry. The Conference was essentially a Congress-To-Main Street meeting. Allowing for attendees to help lawmakers and their staffs understand the complexities community banks face with changing regulations, and how they can help the industry thrive. Bankers were able to question a panel of Iowa legislators on the upcoming legislative session and their plans for increasing rural economic development. The Iowa Leadership panel included Speaker of the House Kraig Paulsen, House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer, Senate Minority Leader Bill Dix, and Representative Mark Smith in his first public speaking event as the newly elected House Minority Leader. Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds were the keynote speakers over the luncheon. Attendees also asked the Governor and Lt. Governor about economic development. Specifically, how their new economic development format is working and how it is addressing the needs of rural Iowa and small businesses. King also spoke and took questions from Iowa’s community bankers during the State Fair Conference. King was asked about the need for real regulatory relief, and in his response he stated that he supports the full repeal of Dodd-Frank. King also stated that the notion that some banks are too big to fail is “just wrong.” Congressman Bruce Braley was scheduled to speak; however due to plane malfunctions he was stuck in Israel. In his stead, he sent a staff member to answer community bankers’ questions and take their concerns back to him in Washington D.C. “Getting attention and educating policy makers is a necessary course of action,” stated Don Hole, CEO of the Community Bankers of Iowa. “Small community banks in Iowa have been held accountable for mistakes that “Too Big to Fail” banks have instigated. Well over 300 community banks in Iowa have not c