NBA Annual Update

Special thanks to the more than 550 bankers, spouses and guests who helped celebrate the NBA’s 2019 NBA Annual Convention, May 1-3 at the Embassy Suites in La Vista. The Convention is an energizing opportunity to highlight the activities of the NBA, connect/reconnect with fellow Nebraska bankers and friends, and to celebrate banking in Nebraska. The 2018-19 NBA Annual Report was presented to the membership at the Annual Convention which showcases many of the NBA’s recent accomplishments and successes. The report can be viewed on the NBA website (www.nebankers.org) under “About” the NBA menu item.

Thanks, are also due to continued strength within the banking industry, strong member support of NBA programs and services, and proactive financial management, I am pleased to report that your NBA experienced another strong fiscal year. Year-end fiscal estimates indicate total organizational assets were $3,634,046 while total liabilities were $388,132. Member equity is approximately $3.2 million.

Total revenues during the past year were almost $3.39 million while expenses were $3.2 million. These numbers resulted in an estimated net change in the organization’s cash reserves of approximately $150,000. This increase occurred even as the NBA provided a recent 5% membership dues refund and a sizable contribution toward flood disaster recovery. In addition, we were able to increase our principal balances in both the Nebraska Bankers Educational Foundation and the NBA fund at the University of Nebraska Foundation to grow our NBA scholarship programs.

Here are a few important highlights I wanted to share as the NBA wraps up 2018-19 and eagerly moves into our next fiscal year:

1. As of April 2019, NBA membership includes 174 of the 181 banks and savings institutions doing business in the state of Nebraska.
2. Our highly-regarding legal team continues to protect the industry at the state and national level. This past year, the NBA’s legal team led formal efforts to object to membership expansion applications filed by both Liberty First Credit Union and Members Own Credit Union. I personally attended these hearings and can tell you that your NBA legal team clearly brought their “A” game to these hearings.
3. The NBA BankPAC raised more than $153,000 to support pro-banking and pro-business political candidates, making the NBA one of the largest and most respected PACs in the state.
4. Your NBA education team hosted more than 35 live training and educational programs, with total registrations again topping 4,000. In addition, the NBA’s online and webinar training services continue to experience strong banker demand.
5. Over the past few years, the NBA has placed an increasing emphasis on strategies to grow the next generation of bankers. We are actively providing scholarships, placing student interns in member banks, and guest lecturing in college and university classrooms. We are also actively using social media and video to feature banking career opportunities.
6. Communicating with members, various media outlets and consumers remains a priority of the organization. Media interviews last year totaled 34. Conversely, NBA staff distributed 235,000 Husker Football schedules to member banks to share with their customers.
7. One issue that garnered statewide attention during the past year is the importance of improving financial education in our state. In addition to promoting valuable learning tools such as EverFi, the NBA was active in contributing input and guidance to the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) as they updated both business and social studies curriculum standards. The NBA received considerable media coverage as a result of this work with NDE.
8. The Nebraska Bankers Insurance & Services Co. (NBISCO), the NBA’s for-profit subsidiary, continues to offer a wide variety of competitively-priced, customer-focused products and services, with more than 85% of our member banks enrolling in one or more of the group insurance products. The Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association (VEBA) health insurance program covers more than 10,000 of your fellow Nebraska bankers and their dependents.
   
9. Finally, I wanted to touch briefly on the Bank On Nebraska Strong disaster relief efforts. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the many Nebraskans who were impacted by the severe weather and devasting floods which impacted our state in March. Nebraska bankers, from the onset of the disaster, have been on the forefront of helping their communities to recover. Your NBA board of directors unanimously voted to designate $50,000 to spur recovery efforts. Likewise, the NBA partnered with Nebraska United Ways and the Nebraska Community Foundation to create the Bank On Nebraska Strong disaster relief funds. More than $145,000 has been raised so far from a wide range of contributors, including NBA member banks, fellow bank organizations, Nebraska businesses, individuals, etc. On May 15, the NBA began accepting grant applications to distribute dollars to worthwhile recovery and rebuilding efforts.
   1. In the mantra of “Bankers Helping Bankers,” the NBA distributed gift cards to 66 Nebraska bankers who experienced substantial personal losses as a result of the flooding.
   2. To help facilitate information sharing throughout the disaster, the NBA hosted a statewide conference call with more than 140-member institutions and various disaster relief organizations, including both the Nebraska and Federal Emergency Management Agencies, the USDA-Farm Service Agency and the Small Business Administration. A special webpage was also developed to help disseminate recovery information. This site has seen a lot of web traffic.
   3. Going forward, the NBA is serving on Governor Ricketts Housing Recovery Task Force.

I want to extend my personal thanks to the many not-for-profit organizations, donors and supporters who are working tirelessly to help Nebraska begin the long rebuilding process.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not extend a special thank you to our members institutions, board members, volunteers, partners and our amazing staff who help the NBA retains its role as the leading financial services trade association in the state of Nebraska. Together, we successfully speak as the leading advocate for Nebraska’s banking industry.
                       
Until next time,
Richard J. Baier
NBA President/CEO