Your IBANYS Team: 
Working To Make 2015 A Great Year 
For New York C ommun ity Banks !
 
In This Issue

Quick Links

Have You Contributed to NYSIBPAC This Year?
If not...now is the time! We need your help in this statewide election year to support candidates and committees who understand community banks' needs. Can we count on you?
CLICK HERE for our 2015 PAC contribution form. Help support IBANYS' political action efforts in New York State.

Partner
August 26, 2015
IBANYS' CONVENTION UPDATE

GREAT NEWS:  
Due to the strong response to IBANYS' Annual Convention, OUR ROOM BLOCK AT HOTEL THAYER IN WEST POINT IS SOLD OUT!
 
IMPORTANT NEWS:
For those who are still looking for accommodations, we have two hotels nearby that still have availability
for  Wednesday and  Thursday evening. 
They are two and five miles away from West Point.  Please call and make your reservation directly with hotel.
 
Holiday Inn Express & Suites West Point-Fort Montgomery
1106 Route 9W
Fort Montgomery, NY 10922
(Approximately 2 ½ miles from Hotel Thayer)
 
Fairbridge Inn & Suites @ West Point
17 Main Street
Highland Falls, NY 10928
(Approximately 5 miles from Hotel Thayer)
 
NOTE:  The registration fee also changes for those not staying at Hotel Thayer. Please take a look at the attached brochure for the adjusted registration cost.
 

Take Note: 
The Convention Begins In Just 
Three Weeks. . . 
SO DON'T DELAY: 
REGISTER TODAY!
  • N.Y. Community Bankers
  • IBANYS Preferred Providers 
  • IBANYS Associate Members
  • Business Show Exhibitors
Join Your Industry Peers & Colleagues
Sept. 16 - 18, 2015
At The Hotel Thayer, 
West Point, New York
IBANYS' Annual Convention brings together the CEOs, senior management teams and board members of New York community banks from throughout the state. They'll be joined by executives from key partner companies affiliated with or related to our industry. The conference includes timely educational/business sessions, unique networking opportunities and outstanding recreational activities.

Earn up to 8.5 CPE credits!  IBANYS is authorized by the NYS Department of Education to award continuing professional education (CPE) credits.

So...Why Attend?
  • Business/Educational Sessions: (All Panel Discussions Thursday, and All Single Presenters Friday)
  • Networking Opportunities at Breakfasts, Luncheons, Dinners, Refreshment Breaks
  • Golf On West Point Golf Course: Wednesday at 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
  • West Point Tour: ("History and Tradition Of West Point"): 2:30 - 4:45 PM Thursday
  • Top Notch Trade Show & Vendors Welcome Reception
  • Trade Show will be site of our traditional PAC Silent Auction Thursday evening from 6:00 - 8:30 PM with reception and carving stations
  • Our new "6-Minute Spotlight" -- IBANYS' Preferred Providers Showcase Their Firms From Podium

Join Us As We Examine Today's Banking and Business Environment, and Explore Tomorrow's Strategic Challenges 

  • Jim Reber of ICBA Securities ("Investment Management for 2015: What Happens When Rates Rise, or Don't?) 
  • Patrick MacKrell, President & CEO of New York Business Development Corporation ("Get It Fast When You Need It Bad--What Happens When Your Customers Go Online To Borrow") 
  • Steve Cundall, CEO - The Cornerstone Group ("Winning The Talent Game: Three Disciplines Of Great Banking Leaders")
  • ICBA Chairman Jack Hartings (President & CEO, The Peoples Bank Co. in Coldwater, Ohio) 
  • ICBA Immediate Past Chairman (and incoming IBANYS Chairman) John Buhrmaster (1st National Bank of Scotia), 
  • IBANYS Chairman Chris Dowd (Ballston Spa National Bank) 
  • IBANYS President & CEO John Witkowski; 
  • Panel discussions on such topics as: "The Branch of the Future for Community Banks", "The Impact of Cybersecurity On Banking" and "Managing Risk"
  • Kevin Christensen of SHAZAM will discuss "Emerging Payments Technology"
  • "The Passing Of The IBANYS Gavel" From 2014-15 Chairman Chris Dowd to 2015-16 Chairman John Buhrmaster  
Convention Speaker/Panel Profiles
Periodically, we'll highlight some of the speakers and panels for our upcoming convention.
On Thursday, September 17, we will have a series of panel discussions on the important trends and issues facing New York community banks. One of our Thursday panel presentations will feature an in-depth discussion on Branch Transformation.  We'll focus on "The Branch of the Future" for community banks, as industry experts will share insights on what to expect from the next version of a bank branch.  With transactions decreasing, we will examine how branches can become efficient and profitable, and how technology can and will change the future of branch banking. Our panelists will share their unique experience and concepts on what the future holds. 
Our panelists will include: 
  • David Welsh, Regional Vice President, DEI Corp; 
  • Chris Hart Nova, Ridgelogic (digital signage);  
  • Charlie Graham, Founder/Creative Director, Volum8creative, Inc. 
On Friday, September 18, our program will feature a number of outstanding speakers on key topics of interest to New York community bankers.
Patrick MacKrell, President & CEO of New York Business Development Corporation (NYBDC), who will discuss "Get it Fast When You Need
it Bad: What Happens When Your Customers Go On-line to Borrow?" Pat will explore the on-line space, the offerings, the disclosures and how bankers can work to retain their customers through both proactive engagement via partners and direct action with borrowers. 

Wednesday Night Keynote Speaker:
Acting DFS Superintendent Albanese 
Acting Superintendent of the State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Anthony Albanese will deliver our Keynote Address Wednesday evening, September 16.  Mr. Albanese has been Acting Superintendent since his predecessor, Benjamin Lawsky, resigned in June, and previously was Mr. Lawsky's Chief of Staff at DFS. Announcing his successor, Lawsky noted: "His appointment...means business as usual for the department...under his leadership D.F.S. will continue all of the important initiatives we have underway while also continuing to be a smart, modern, and forward-thinking prudential regulator." Mr. Albanese was the main negotiator for all the bank enforcement actions under Mr. Lawsky. Before joining the department in 2011, he was a partner at the law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges. 
MORE CONVENTION NEWS:
Support A Longstanding IBANYS Tradition:
Our "Silent Auction" 

 

Participate in IBANYS' silent auction! Showcase items from your region, or unique items others may enjoy, while supporting our New York community banking industry's  political action efforts.  
  • SILENT AUCTION ITEMS ARE NEEDED! PLEASE SEND BY SEPTEMBER 1st. . .
DONATE A GIFT: The gift donation is not tax deductible. Nationally-chartered banks must donate through a holding company, an individual officer, or a director. State-chartered banks may donate directly or through the holding company. 

All items shipped to IBANYS must arrive by Sept. 1, 2015. We recommend a minimum value of $100 for each donation.

We're Also Starting A Brand NEW Tradition!


  
"Our 
Six Minute Drills" 
IBANYS preferred providers and select associate members the chance (from the podium, during business sessions) to take a brisk six minutes and showcase their firms, products and services - in short, to explain what they can do to help New York community banks. 
Registration cards will be distributed for the six minute drills. Those selected will have a contribution made in their name (or their bank's) to the "Cure the Blue" effort, co-sponsored by IBANYS to raise funds and awareness regarding prostate cancer research in New York State.



Special thanks these friends of our industry and IBANYS -- the firms who have already stepped forward to sponsor at the convention:
  • ACBB
  • BBN
  • Bowers& Company CPAs
  • Continuity
  • Federal Home Loan Bank of New York
  • Finger Lakes Technology
  • Five Star Bank
  • ICBA
  • Jamesson Associates
  • Main Street Checks
  • New York Business Development Corp.
  • NBT Bank
  • Pentegra Retirement Services
  • Roosevelt & Cross
  • Sandler O'Neil
  • Smith & Wilkinson
  • Strategic Resource Management (SRM)
  • T.Gschwender & Associates
  • Wolf & Company

There are still sponsorship opportunities available! See the registration brochure below, or you may e-mail IBANYS' Director of Operations, Linda Gregware, at: lindag@ibanys.net


PLEASE DON'T DELAY. . .THERE ARE ONLY. . .


That's Right: IBANYS' Convention Begins Exactly Three Weeks From Today, So. . .
  
  • IBANYS Member Banks: CLICK HERE for UPDATED convention packets, including registration/ information.
  • IBANYS preferred providers, associate members & exhibitors:CLICK HERE for your registration/information packets.
Registration & information is also available at  www.ibanys.net under Upcoming Meetings.


Meanwhile, IN OCTOBER. . .

Bring Your Board Members & Senior Management To IBANYS' 2015 Directors Conference!
  • Wednesday, October 21 (Rochester)
  • Thursday, October 22 (Albany)
As we work our way out of the latest financial/banking crisis, we see a decline in the number of community banks, and face more and more regulatory burden. How can community banks survive and prosper in the current environment?  Further, how can community bank board members best guide and support this growth?
 
We'll look at a number of challenges ahead:
  • enhancing the branch structure
  • preparing for interest rate changes
  • ensuring strong financial performance and acquiring the requisite data
  • trends in compensation
  • ERM & The Committee Process: Directors' Role
  • Maximizing Profitability In A Consumer-Driven Market
  • Creating Shareholder Value Beyond Just The Share Price
  • The Job Of The Audit Committee
  • Regulatory & Industry "Hot Button" Issues 
Our speakers include: 
  • Shawn O'Brien, President of QwickRate; 
  • Greg Dingens, Head of Investment Banking at Monroe Financial Partners; 
  • David Ruffin, Co-Founder, Credit Risk management;
  • Flynt Gallagher, President, Compensation Advisors;
  • Phil Pratt, Senior Consultant, Digital Insight (an NCR Company)
  • Peter Scully, Managing Director, BancList.com,
  • Patrick Hughes, Partner, & Laurie Shen, Principal, UHY, LLP;
  • Karl Nelson, CEO, KPN Consulting
Click here for the full agenda and to register for our 2015 IBANYS Directors Conference.
 

GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
 
NY Fed's Dudley  Reviews Recovery, 
Employment In New York
NY Fed President William Dudley spoke at an Economic Press Briefing this morning on the ongoing economic recovery and on jobs growth in the New York Fed null region. He noted  New York City bucked the post-recession trend to a surprising degree, and with little help from Wall Street firms. Among the City's strongest sectors: technology, which added nearly 50,000 jobs during the recovery. Employment levels on Long Island and in parts of upstate New York, notably the Albany, Buffalo and Rochester areas, also climbed and were at or close record highs. There has been a dramatic uptick in construction employment in Buffalo, and these areas are said to be well positioned for future success. Dudley noted the employment recovery has been slow in both northern New Jersey and the Lower Hudson Valley, and said "pockets of weakness remain" including the Binghamton in upstate New York, which "has had no meaningful rebound in employment."

In other news:
  • A Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. publication on Monday advised banks to include cyber risk in standard disaster-planning and business-continuity exercises as part of general strategic-planning discussions. 
  • ICBA and IBANYS continue to urge community bankers to tell Congress that the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) should focus on implementing and enforcing existing laws as written for that industry -- not proposing to sidestep Congress by proposing added exemptions to the current 12.25% credit union cap on member business loans, skirting congressional intent.
INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Number Of Credit Union Branches On Rise
Even as the number of credit unions shrinks, the number of credit union branches is going up. That's opposite the trend in bank branching, according to new analysis. An SNL Financial study found the total number of credit union branches across the U.S. is on the rise for the second consecutive year, after declines in the previous two years.
As of July 30, there were 27 more credit union branches opened than closed in the U.S during 2015. In 2012-13 the industry lost a net of 241 branches. SNL's senior industry analyst for financial institutions commented that banks across country continue to trim their branch networks, noting: "Banks and thrifts have closed more branches than they have opened every year since 2010...For the first two quarters of 2015, banks and thrifts saw net branch decline by more than 700 branches."

CRA Data: Loans, Originations Are Up
The 2014 lending data for small businesses, small farms and community development under the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) released this week by federal banking regulators found 12% more loans and loan originations for the year, while the dollar amount rose 2%. Small farm loans and originations were up 1% and 5%, respectively. 
Visit www.occ.gov/news-issuances/news-releases/2015/2015-118G.pdf

Housing Market Heats Up
The U.S. Commerce Department reports  new home sales, which account for 8.3% of the market, housing money increased 5.4% in July, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 507,000 units. New homes sales surged 23.1% in the Northeast to the highest level since May 2014. Sales were up 25.8% compared to July of last year. Data last week also showed home resales jumped to a near 8-1/2-year high in July, and groundbreaking on new home building reached its highest level since October 2007.

Fed's Dudley: Rate Hike Seems 
"Less Compelling"
A September rate hike is looking less compelling, according to William Dudley, president of the New York Federal Reserve and a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee. Dudley addressed the Fed's potential tightening in light of the recent troubles in U.S. equities and international financial turmoil, saying: "From my perspective, at this moment, the decision to begin the normalization process at the September FOMC meeting seems less compelling to me than it was a few weeks ago." He added he hopes to raise rates this year, but "let's see how the data unfold before we make any statements about exactly when that might occur."

Support IBANYS'  "Cure The Blue" Fight 
Against Prostate Cancer
"Cure the Blue" raises funds and awareness regarding prostate cancer research in New York State. Lake Shore Savings Bank President & CEO Dan Reininga recently joined former Buffalo Bills Head Hall-of-Fame Coach Marv Levy and former Bills and Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation members Booker Edgerson and Ed Rutkowski at a recent event on behalf of Cure the Blue. The Bills Alumni Foundation and IBANYS are spearheading this long overdue effort, and IBANYS' member bank Lake Shore Savings Bank is strongly supporting the campaign. "Cure the Blue" ribbon pins can be purchased for a donation at all the bank's branches. As  Lake Shore President & CEO Dan  Reininga stated:  " The exciting thing about this is that it's going to be a national campaign at some point. It's very exciting and we're very proud. It's what Lake Shore is all about - putting people first.
Can we count on YOUR bank or firm to join this truly important effort?

New York Community Banks:
 Control Your  Health Care Costs!
Are high deductible health insurance plans hitting your bank or company hard? The "My Wellness Resource Card" may be your solution. You can upgrade your employee benefits with a low-cost, non-traditional program that can save your bank/company time and money, and help you retain employees. It will provide on demand health care, from U.S. board-certified doctors who will provide diagnosis, treatment options and necessary prescriptions via unlimited telephone medical consultations through Telehealth. It will also provide discounts and significant savings on a variety of medical and dental products. Sponsored by My Wellness Resource, Inc. and by IBANYS, this program was specifically designed to improve productivity, decrease absenteeism and boost morale without straining your bottom line. Click here and here to learn more about this exciting new alternative, or visit www.ibanys.net for details and to enroll. 

IBANYS' WEBINARS FOR NEW YORK 
COMMUNITY BANKS
 
Sessions Designed For YOUR Bank!
New York community banks are facing a multitude of challenges in today's banking, business and regulatory environments. Bank officers, board members and employees have seen their responsibilities and potential liabilities continue to evolve. Are you doing everything possible to provide them with the information and tools necessary to remain fully informed and up-to-date so that they are equipped to manage the bank and guide it into the future? New York community banks are benefitting from IBANYS' webinars, especially designed to meet the needs of community banks in today's world. IBANYS' webinars are effective, cost-effective. Your bank's officers, directors and employees can participate directly from their offices. The sessions are timely and provide real bottom line value. That's why participation has been consistently increasing. Take a moment to review upcoming programs, including presentations on EMV and credit cards, current trends in cyber crime and payments fraud, regulator & industry hot buttons for bank directors and much more, including: 
  • New accounts 
  • CFPB rules for mortgage servicers 
  • BSA compliance 
  • TILA/RESPA disclosure 
  • Monitoring work-related social media 
  • Credit risk in agriculture lending 
  • EMV and debit cards 
  • Trends in cyber crime and payments fraud
  • Revised escrow rules
Click on the link below to review our upcoming webinars through September. 

IBANYS Spotlights. . .
in the spotlight 
Wolf & Company
Wolf & Company is one of the top regional certified public accounting firms in the Northeast, New York and New Jersey. Building on a tradition of unparalleled guidance, they provide clients with audit and assurance, tax, business consulting, risk management services, and  WolfPAC Integrated Risk Management®, a secure, web-based enterprise risk management solution used to automate the identification of risks, threats, and control gaps. Developed by financial professionals in 2004, WolfPAC provides tools to review and monitor information technology, privacy, vendor, and other enterprise-wide risk assessments. Quarterly methodology updates are designed to align with changing business environments and emerging compliance and examination standards. A robust suite of reports allows management to analyze their control gaps and benchmark risk profiles against peers. WolfPAC keeps institutions safe and sound, and maximizes the outcome of strategic objectives.

Guidance is at the heart of everything Wolf & Company does. The firm understands that the role that community financial institutions play in the recovery and growth of the local economy has never been greater. The current trend of merger and acquisition activity and the cost of compliance are just two of the many challenges facing community and regional banks. Community banks need a resource that has experience assisting institutions in the many phases of growth of their organizations and has the ability to grow with you. From initial public offerings to acquisitions of other banks or financial service entities, you need an advisor who has seen it before and has hands-on experience in dealing with the current issues affecting banks. For more details, contact Gerald R. Gagne, Director, Risk Management Services: (617) 428-5455, ggagne@wolfandco.com. Or, visit the website at  www.wolfandco.com

DID YOU KNOW. . .
That graduates of the United States Military Academy (also known as West Point) are called  "The Long Gray Line" and that its ranks include two  Presidents of the United States, the  President of the Confederate States of America, Presidents of  Costa Rica,  Nicaragua and of the  Philippines, numerous famous  generals, and seventy-five  Medal of Honor recipients? Join us at The Thayer Hotel at West Point Sept. 16-18 for IBANYS' Annual Convention.

 

New York community banks play a key role in our state and local economies. Help spread the good news among your customers, business and elected leaders and media!

Click here for quotes from Governor Cuomo and DFS Superintendent Lawsky extolling the performance and value of New York community banks.

Click here for the full NYS Study on community banking.

Click here to read IBANYS President & CEO John Witkowski's comments on the new tax changes and benefits for New York community banks as approved in the 2014-15 State Budget.

 

Click here for IBANYS' letter to the Editor of Consumer Reports Magazine correcting failure to mention community banks as an alternative to using "big banks."

_________________________________
John J. Witkowski
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
Stephen W. Rice
Director of Government Relations and Communications

Linda Gregware
Director of Administration and Membership Services 

William Y. Crowell, III
Legislative Counsel