​Governor Pete Ricketts has named Mike Jacobson, President and CEO of NebraskaLand Bank (North Platte), as Legislative District 42’s representative to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Mike Groene’s recent resignation.
 
Sen. Jacobson will finish former Sen. Groene’s term, which runs out in January 2023; he intends to run for election to the post in the 2022 general election. Three other candidates from North Platte have filed for the post as well.
 
Sen. Jacobson served as Chair of the NBA in 2009. NBA President and CEO Richard Baier said, “It is exciting for the NBA to have another banker in the legislative body! The NBA is grateful for bankers like Mike who share their talents for the greater good of Nebraska.”
Congratulations, Sen. Jacobson!

Because of the Nebraska banking industry’s strong commitment to agriculture, National Ag Week and Ag Day are an opportunity to educate Nebraskans about the business side of agriculture and to thank your ag customers for their business.
 
To assist in your promotional efforts, the NBA has developed a National Ag Week resource page. On the page, you will find promotion ideas, Nebraska ag photos and an order form for placemats and Nebraska Ag Fact Cards. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture has not received all the information necessary to complete the cards but hopes to have the cards completed by early March.
Resource Page

The Annual NBA State BankPAC Silent Auction will be held during the NBA Convention on May 4-6 at the Embassy Suites in La Vista, and donations are needed! 
 
Your investment, large or small, in this exciting event will produce tremendous results for Nebraska banking. Your participation is critical. The Silent Auction will raise funds for the NBA State BankPAC so that the NBA can help elect state senators and constitutional officers who understand banking and its special needs. It is critical for bankers to be involved in the political processes that shape their industry. If you have an item(s) to donate or have questions about the NBA’s State BankPAC Silent Auction, contact Jennifer Heaton at the NBA at jennifer.heaton@nebankers.org or 402-474-1555.

Whether your bank is large or small, rural or urban, hiring and retaining the best people is an ongoing challenge. A fair, competitive compensation and benefits policy is critical to the success of your institution. To assist with your human resources strategy, the NBA asks all member banks to participate in the 2022 Compensation & Benefits Survey.
 
The NBA has joined forces with RCS & Associates to develop, tabulate and report the Compensation & Benefits Survey. Data is collected by asset size and region and includes supplemental compensation such as bonuses and commissions. The summary will include comparative data using results from both Nebraska and Kansas institutions to further enhance the value of the survey.
 
Surveys must be completed by March 14. Results will be sent in June. All bank CEOs received an email from Ron Arrigo at the NBA with a fillable survey attachment. Please make sure to check your spam folder if you have not yet seen this email. If you have questions about the survey, please contact Matt Rademacher with RCS & Associates at mattr@rcsassociates.com or Ron Arrigo at the NBA at ron.arrigo@nebankers.org or 402-474-1555.  

The three bankers in the legislature, NBA past Chairs, Sen. John Stinner (Gering) and Sen. Matt Williams (Gothenburg), as well as Sen. Rob Clements (Elmwood), shared their perspectives in a new NBA video. They discussed the importance of banker involvement in government relations activities and shared ways bankers can make a difference.
 
The three Senators were also part of a panel at the NBA State Government Relations Forum last week. They again highlighted ways to get involved, including building relationships with your Senator, hosting candidates and elected officials at your bank, participating in candidate fundraisers and contributing to NBA BankPAC.
 
They discussed current activities in the legislature, including American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, the state budget and the impact of term limits. Also noted: Bill Marienau, the legislative counsel for the legislature’s Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, is retiring after 35 years.
 
Sen. Williams also shared advice for bankers considering running for the legislature. He noted problem-solving abilities were important, as well as working with with the legislative body as a whole since the Unicameral works best when it is a non-partisan body. He noted that due to term limits, currently legislative staff have historical knowledge to help Senators better understand issues, but he also noted that three terms would be beneficial.