Florida Banking July 2022

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

READY TO REPRESENT OUR INDUSTRY

BY BILL PENNEY, FBA CHAIR

“IF YOU START ME UP, I’LL NEVER STOP…” - “START ME UP” BY THE ROLLING STONES

I t will be my privilege to serve as your FBA Chair for the 2022-23 year, continuing a proud tradition of service and advocacy for our industry. Big thanks to our Immediate Past Chair Fabiola Brumley for her poise and leadership over the past year. It has been a pleasure to work at her side and learn from her as I prepared for the role. I have been involved with the FBA for more than 10 years now, having served as Chair of the Florida Bankers Educational Foundation (FBEF), from which I’d received a scholarship in college, and also participated in many Washington, D.C., “fly-ins.” My time on the Political Action Committee with Barnett Bank at the beginning of my career gave me an interest in politics and advocacy. I began to understand the importance of speaking out for our industry, both at home and in our nation’s capital. FBA President & CEO Alex Sanchez often says that successful advocacy must be done face-to-face, and the FBA tirelessly forges relationships with key representatives and policymakers to score those sit down meetings and earn their listening ear. It is always an honor to join the FBA in Washington, D.C., and it will be more so now as your Chair. Representatives are always impressed by how often we “show up.” It is meaningful for them to hear directly from us bankers who are on the ground each and every day serving our customers and local communities. We will continue to educate our representatives about the issues impacting our industry, like the climate reporting requirement, SBA direct lending, the ILC loophole, and credit union taxation, among others. Repetition is the name of the game, and I will raise

these issues again and again if that’s what it takes to push us forward. As Chair, I am passionate about protecting our free enterprise system, pressing the issue of tax-exempt credit unions, and maintaining FBA membership. Our country has the best entrepreneurial system in the world, and it is incredibly important that our banks continue to fuel the fire for the explorers and entrepreneurs. It is important, too, for our association to grow and adapt in these changing times. At the FBA, we are dedicated to improving our educational offerings and curating unique opportunities for members. We invite your participation. We need you to voice your challenges and concerns so that we can pass them on to the appropriate leaders and decision-makers. As bankers, we care deeply about our communities. We’re leaders. The more that you get involved, the more you realize that you can make a difference. What does it look like to get involved? Attend our events. Answer our calls to action. Sign up for a webinar. Serve on one of our many boards or committees. There are many ways for you to plug in with the FBA, and we welcome your voice. I could not be more grateful for the connections and friendships I’ve made through my involvement with this organization. I look forward to serving alongside Chair-Elect Jose Cueto, another community banker who is dedicated to the growth of our industry. I am grateful to my team at Marine Bank & Trust for their support as I take on these new responsibilities. Here’s to a busy year of championing our industry!

4 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING