Pub. 7 2019 Issue 3

2 The Community Banker www.mibonline.org AndrewWest President’s Address A s we move into fall and what many consider the best time of year in Mon- tana, I think it’s a good time for reflec- tion. Being fortunate to have represented Montana on the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank’s Community Depository Institution Advisory Council for the past three years, and also being a member of the Montana Com- munity Bankers Board of Directors, I have had a tremendous opportunity to meet a wide variety of bankers from across the country. the one commonality I discovered is commu- nity bankers are a collection of solid, down to earth, genuinely good people. No matter where I go, whether it be the MIB convention or to the ICBA Capital Summit in Washington D.C., the community bankers I meet share the traits of friendliness and desire to help their community. Many of us hail from small towns across Montana and America and time and again, I hear the theme of community. Small town, independent bankers are dedicated to their communities like no other. It truly makes me proud to be a part of this group. I wonder how America would look different if small, independent community banks didn’t exist. I can think of so many oc- casions where good folks have been helped in their life by a community bank. Situations where they may honestly not have been able to reach their goals or dreams without the help of a bank that knew them personally. There is so much value in this. Not only to rural America or Montana but to all places where people live and need financial assis- tance from someone who knows and cares about them and their situation. Community bankers do care and it is reflected in the support they provide their towns through donations and fundraisers and also in the financing they provide for folks who might not get a loan anywhere else because they don’t fit perfectly into a matrix or some other impersonal underwriting platform. So, as we go into fall, it is a good time to look around and be grateful for the oppor- tunities we’ve been given in our lives to help people we genuinely care about. This gives our existence meaning that transcends performance metrics and lets us know that what we are doing every day has a positive impact on those around us. People come to us with hopes and dreams and we help make those hopes and dreams come true. Every day. Whether it be a new home or car or help in starting a business, we are there for our people in a way that is so meaningful to those we help. I can’t think of a more noble way to pass my days and I’m proud to call myself a community banker because of this. This is why the mission of the MIB is so important. We don’t want to let this legacy of community, helpfulness and support disappear in Montana. The people of our communities rely on us to be there to help them when they need it. Despite the on- going pressures of regulatory burden and consolidation, we must continue to work together to ensure that our communities have a place to go where they are known and respected and can receive the financial assistance they need. I used to make jokes about “Cowboy Banking.” Where one of my customers would come in my office and visit with me for 45 minutes drinking coffee and talking about everything except what they were there for. And then, five minutes before they got up to leave they would say, “Oh, by the way I need to borrow some money.” I knew it was coming of course, but I would always say, “No problem, we’ll get that handled for you.” Now as I am older and think about this, I love that this is still the way we can do business in Montana. It’s not really something to joke about, but something to cherish. We have a lifestyle here in Montana that is becoming increas- ingly rare. If we all work together to con- tinue to strengthen our communities and support one another as community banks, we can live the rest of our lives as “Cowboy Bankers.” That sounds like a pretty good way to go to me. Let’s all work to bring the community bankers of Montana together so we can continue this amazing legacy and continue to support our towns in a way that makes a difference in the lives we touch. Montana is an amazing place to live and part of the reason it is so is because of people like you who are fighting the good fight every day. Good people who believe in helping other people accomplish meaningful things in their life. This is the essence of what we do and is a cause worth fighting for. Thanks to all of you who are MIB member banks and to those of you who aren’t, I would encour- age you to join us. The coffee is always on and we can’t wait to hear your stories.