In 1888, one of Florida's oldest trade associations, the Florida Bankers Association (FBA) was created to advocate on behalf of Florida banks and promote the banking industry in the state. For the past decade, I’ve had the privilege to serve in a variety of capacities – but my most important role to date begins now.
I have seen firsthand the impact that the FBA plays for our industry, and I am both pleased and honored to be able to serve as this year’s chairman. The association represents banks of all sizes and focuses – from local community banks to national banks – in an effort to provide opportunities to thrive in today's economic landscape.
During my tenure, I look forward to combining my experience in the financial and government sectors to work with Congress and the Florida Legislature to advance our agenda. The main issues we will be facing in coming year will be regulatory reform; CRA reform; BSA/AML reform; and continuing to fight for a level playing field with credit unions.
Last year, the FBA testified before Congress about solutions to reform outdated regulations and concerns the industry has with the current BSA/AML requirements. The BSA/AML reform committee that has been established will begin meeting July 1 and will focus on finding a balance that will allow for lessening the burden for the banking industry while ensuring continued support for law enforcement.
Our industry has been going through lots of headwinds, and we are adjusting to a new normal of fewer banks and more regulatory scrutiny. The association, however, will continue to develop our strategic plan to do what we must to position ourselves and the industry for success moving forward. Some of that work has already been done – but we’re just getting started, and I look forward to all that the next year may hold and hope that we are able to make a meaningful difference for Florida’s banks through advocacy, education and member support.
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