Pub. 15 2018 Issue 1

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S Issue 1 • 2018 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE MIKE LOWRIMORE NMBA PRESIDENT Bank of the West Again, thank you for the honor of serving as President of the New Mexico Bankers Association. I look forward to seeing you at the NMBA Annual Convention and Vendor Events, June 7-8. T his will be my final President’s message and I want to tell all of you how honored I am to serve as the President of the New Mexico Bankers Association. I have really enjoyed this opportunity. In fact, I told John Anderson recently that, in many ways, I wish my term was two years. Be it as it may, over the past year, I have worked closely with John, Debbie Schaefer and Mark Anderson, and have gained a great appreciation for our highly efficient and effec - tive NMBA business model. As a result, the NMBA is able to execute its mission of serving our industry at a high level with a small but very capable staff. This past year, we have worked closely with the FBI and local law enforcement agencies to curb bank robber - ies in the state. In 2017, we witnessed a record number of bank robberies. We are doing everything to assist law enforcement agencies to get criminals off the streets and I am happy to say that it appears to be working. We have also launched a bank internship with the University of New Mexico Anderson School. This pilot program has been specifically developed to educate candi - dates with the goal of develop - ing future banking talent. The program includes exposure to multiple business roles within the industry. The internship program is intended for eligible college students to complete in the summer following their sophomore or junior years of their undergraduate degree. This will be the first year for the internship program, which runs for 8-10 weeks. We are beginning with four banks and the plan is to take the program statewide. We had a very successful 2018 Legislative session. Ma - jor trust and estate legislation was enacted with the aim of encouraging the investment of trust and estate assets in our state. The legislature also provided funding to remediate the Carlsbad brine well. The Legislature had a pleasant sur - prise before the 2018 session that, due to an upswing in oil revenue in Southern New Mex - ico, the state had approximate - ly $300 million in new money with enabled the legislature to restore the state’s reserves to the ten percent level. The Legislature also defeated a measure calling for a study to determine the feasibility of creating a state bank. I also want to thank those of you who contacted out Congressional delegation on behalf of the passage of S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Reg - ulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act. Overall, the legislation represents the first meaningful bipartisan regula - tory relief bill to be taken up by the U.S. Senate since the Dodd-Frank Act. As you know, S. 2155 was recently approved by the Senate and now all eyes turn to the House of Represen - tatives which will take up S. 2155 as soon as possible. I want to personally invite you to the 2018 Annual Con - vention and Vendor Events, on June 7-8 at Sandia Resort in Albuquerque. The agenda is designed to offer timely updates on current issues including details on federal legislative activity and perhaps presidential politics, and give us a view into the future of our industry. There is no lack of entertainment at the Sandia Resort, including golf, spas, live entertainment, gaming and wonderful restaurants. So please join us. Finally, I want to acknowl - edge and welcome our incom - ing NMBA President, John Gu - las, CEO, Los Alamos National Bank. I know that John will enjoy his upcoming term as President as much as I have, Again, thank you for the honor of serving as President of the New Mexico Bankers Association. I look forward to seeing you at the NMBA An - nual Convention and Vendor Events, June 7-8. n It’s Been an Honor to Serve