November 21, 2018


In This Issue: 
Message From the President

By John Witkowski, President & CEO

Happy Thanksgiving from IBANYS!


Thanksgiving is a time to pause and reflect, to appreciate the many blessings we have. At IBANYS, we are grateful for many things -  including the active support and participation of our membership. New York community banks, IBANYS preferred partners and associate members are at the core of our organization. You give us purpose, mission and drive to continue our work in protecting the interests of community banking. We appreciate all that you do throughout the year to make IBANYS the state's only trade association to represent only the community banking industry in New York. We look forward to continuing our work with you in the future and are excited for what's to come in the coming year.

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WhatLiesAhead

Next week marks the final month of 2018 . With the new year so close, it's time to start thinking about how the 2019 political landscape will affect community banking. The Governor's State of the State Message and Budget Presentation will occur in early January. The new State Legislature and Congress will convene and organize, and as we have been reporting the political dynamics in Albany and Washington, D.C. will be vastly different with new Democratic majorities in the New York State Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives - leading to contrasting legislative agendas.  IBANYS has mailed our outreach program to all member banks encouraging them to meet with the new members of the State Senate, State Assembly and New York Congressional Delegation

We will also have a busy first six months of 2019 with our educational meetings. From March to May, IBANYS will be holding the following conferences:

  • Compliance Conference
  • Directors Conference
  • Security Conference
  • Lending Conference

The meeting locations and dates are now available on our website and in today's newsletter. Keep an eye out for meeting materials and registration information that will be released in the future.

With big plans for 2019, IBANYS is motivated and ready to take on whatever comes our way. We are proud and thankful to be leading advocates for community banks in both Albany and Washington D.C.

We wish you a peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving Holiday - as always, thank you for your support of IBANYS and all that you do on behalf of New York community banks.

Remember: IBANYS is YOUR association. Make it work for you!

- John

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2018-19 IBANYS Dues Notices DuesNotice

2018 was a successful year for IBANYS, and we plan on making 2019 even better! There may be a few weeks left of 2018, but a new fiscal year has just begun at IBANYS effective November 1. As a result,  we have mailed membership dues renewal notices for November 1, 2018 - October 31, 2019. Included with the dues notice is an update on current IBANYS events and plans for the coming year. If you have any questions regarding your dues, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at  johnw@ibanys.net or 716-880-0518, or Linda Gregware at  lindag@ibanys.net or 518-436-4646.

We also have finalized our 2019 IBANYS Meetings Calendar, and we are excited about some changes we have made! The biggest involves our annual convention, which will now be held in June instead of the fall. 

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SocialMedia
Follow IBANYS On Social Media!

Have you found and followed IBANYS on social media yet? Connect with us today!


 

Facebook: @ibanys1 | Twitter: @ibanys1

Instagram: @ibanys1 | LinkedIn: @ibanys

Looking At 2019

Get Ready For Next Year's Convention!

 

SAVE THE DATE

When:  

June 10-12, 2019


Where: 

5218 Patrick Rd, Verona, NY 13478

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Get Ready for 2019 Meetings!  Meetings2019


Our 2019 Meeting dates and locations are now available! These educational conferences cover various subjects that are important within the community banking industry, spoken by the experts. T hey are also a great opportunity to network and earn CPE credits. Here is what we have planned for 2019:

Compliance Conference

                 March 12, 2019                                               March 13, 2019
                DoubleTree by Hilton                                                 Hilton Garden Inn
                1111 Jefferson Road                                                 235 Hoosick Street 
                Rochester, NY 14623                                                   Troy, NY 12180


Directors Conference

                   April 16, 2019                                                 April 17, 2019
           RIT Inn & Conference Cente                                  Hampton Inn Poughkeepsie
              5257 W.  Henrietta Road                                                  2361 South Rd.
                 Henrietta, NY 14467                                           Poughkeepsie, NY 12601


Security Conference

                   May 7, 2019                                                     May 8, 2019
           RIT Inn & Conference Center                                Hampton Inn Poughkeepsie
              5257 W. Henrietta Road                                              2361 South Rd.
                 Henrietta, NY 14467                                         Poughkeepsie, NY 12601


Lending Conference

May 21-22, 2019
Harbor Hotel Watkins Glen
16 North Franklin Street
Watkins Glen, NY 14891


Banking Executive Symposium

September 9-11, 2019
Location TBD


IBANYS' meetings provide insight into relevant issues spoken by experts in the field. They are also a great opportunity to network and earn CPE credits.

Have an idea for one of our meetings? Want to see a meeting or forum on a different subject? We want to hear from you!  Contact Linda Gregware at lindag@ibanys.net or me at johnw@ibanys.net with your thoughts and/or comments. 

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It's Time to Involved In IBANYS' 
Government Relations Effort!


Next year, IBANYS and community banks will face major challenges in Albany and Washington. The NYS Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives will be controlled by Democrats. The political landscape has dramatically changed. New leadership will be placed in both chambers, as well as the chairs of the State Senate Banks and U.S. House Financial Services Committees. IBANYS is prepared to represent and protect the interests of New York community banks regardless of the political dynamic, but we cannot do it alone. We need the active involvement and support of all New York community banks to bring a united, clear message to lawmakers about the importance of our industry to the state and local economies. IBANYS members: get involved in our  Government Relations Committee ! With your participation, stay informed of legislative and regulatory activities/developments, and have full input as we formulate our positions and policies. It's the perfect opportunity to make your voice heard in the political sphere.

We also have additional committees and peer groups that would greatly benefit from your participation, including our Compliance Peer Group and our Security Committee. Learn more below. 

IBANYS CEOs: Sign up yourself, or designate someone from your senior team to represent your bank in these efforts!  Contact IBANYS' Government Relations Director Steve Rice at  stever@ibanys.net  or President/CEO John Witkowski at  johnw@ibanys.net  to join. NOW is the time!

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HearYourIdeas

In addition to our Government Relations Committee, we have other important committees and peer groups that would greatly benefit from your participation, such as our Compliance Peer Group, CFO/Senior Management Peer Group, and Innovation Committee. Please email  John Witkowski  or Linda Gregware for more information on these committees and how to sign up. 

IBANYS is always open to new ideas. If you have suggestions on other committees you'd like to see established, tell us! IBANYS is member driven and we work together to make the community banking industry better each day.


New Feature!
Spotlight Bank of the Week

Spotlight Bank of the Week is a new feature that we have added to our website and e-newsletter. It is an opportunity to promote anything about your organization, such as fun facts, organization news, special events, etc. The Spotlight Bank of the Week will be featured on our homepage slider, e-newsletter, and our social media platforms for one week. So don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity to showcase your bank to thousands of people!

To apply, just fill out our registration form and email it to Natalie Rowan at natalier@ibanys.net.

IBANYS Education/WebinarsWebinars
IBANYS Webinars IBANYSWebinars


Are you participating in IBANYS' webinars? Your peers are! They provide timely, important information on subjects of interest to New York community bankers. They are valuable not only for their content, but for their convenience. Take part from the comfort and privacy of your office, without leaving the bank.  Our  Webinar Series  offers many topics in the following categories:
  • Audit & Accounting
  • Collections
  • Compliance
  • Directors
  • Frontline & New Accounts
  • Human Resources
  • Information Technology
  • IRA
  • Lending
  • Operations
  • Security & Fraud
  • Senior Management
We are always adding more programs based on needs and requests of our members,
who drive our focus!  Take a look at the various series of webinars we offer by clicking each of the links below.

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2019 Webinar Schedule  WebinarSchedule2019

The 2019 Webinar is now available! The Independent Bankers Association of NYS (IBANYS) partners with CBWN to bring you more than 150 webinars each year covering compliance, lending, regulations, security, operations, new accounts, collections, fraud, security and other topics. Even better, each time you purchase a webinar, you support IBANYS, because a portion of your registration comes directly to us. Thank you!  

You can view the 2019 Webinar Schedule here or by category here. In addition, CBWN has made some recent updates to provide better service to its consumers. Unfortunately, some changes may have caused you to miss important webinar announcements. Please read the IBANYS letter to view the updates and ensure that you do not miss another webinar.

CBWN and IBANYS thank you for your continued support of the education in the community banking industry. 

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VetterWebinar


Webinar:

Target Marketing - Activation at the Point of Excitement


Visit the Vetter webinar archives page to view/download recording and presentation materials from previous webinars:


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FREE WEBINAR: ICS & CDARS


What the New Law Means for Banks
Thanks to the newly signed regulatory relief bill, most reciprocal deposits are no longer brokered. This comes as banks face intense and increasing competition for deposits.

Join Us for a Webinar
Join Promontory Interfinancial Network-- the nation's leading provider and inventor of reciprocal deposit placement services-- for a free webinar that outlines key provisions of the new law and the impact ICS®, or Insured Cash Sweep®, and CDARS® can have on banks' balance sheets. The webinar will also cover how banks can use ICS and CDARS to capitalize on the opportunities at hand; presenters will discuss cost-effective ways to use the services to attract high-value relationships (even as deposit competition intensifies) and to lock-in more low-cost funding (even as interest rates continue to rise.) This webinar is a "must" for decision-makers at banks of all sizes, especially for community banks that utilize collateralized deposits and/or listing services.

Choose a date and time that works for you!


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Presents a  Complimentary Recorded Webinar for
Our Valued Webinar Participants

GDPR: WHAT IS IT & SHOULD YOUR
FINANCIAL INSTITUTION BE CONCERNED?

GDPR is a hot topic! The General Data Protection Regulation is the European Union's new data protection and privacy regulation that became effective May 25, 2018. Although these EU rules were developed a continent away, don't underestimate how they might affect you.

Privacy is a fundamental human right under the EU Charter. GDPR is intended to protect EU residents' data privacy rights even outside the EU. Mandatory compliance may be closer than you think. A few states have introduced similar legislation and others are following suit. This free webinar will explain how to analyze when and how your institution will be affected by GDPR, and how it differs from your existing privacy rules.

Click the image below to access this complimentary webinar.



This free webinar is available until December 31, 2018.

View full information , including info about the presenters.


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Government Relations
AlbanyAlbanyGR

 

The New York State Legislature will convene its 2019 legislative session the first week in January, when Governor Cuomo will deliver his 9th "State of the State Message" and will present his proposed 2019-20 state budget.

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Flanagan To Lead GOP Senate Minority;
Stewart-Cousins: No Plan To Raise Taxes

Andrea Stewart-Cousins
New York State Senator John Flanagan (R-Suffolk County), who served as Senate Majority Leader the past  several years, will lead the Senate Republican minority. Senate Republicans will be down eight seats come January, having lost nearly one-third of their members in the November election. Democrats are expected to control 40 of the chamber's 63 seats. 
The GOP conference on Friday reelected Flanagan as Leader over Senator Cathy Young (R-Jamestown) by a vote of 14 - 9. Before voting, the GOP debated whether an upstater should lead them after a decade of a Long Island member at the top post (Senators Flanagan and Skelos).  Senator Young noted: "Right now we're at a pivotal moment and we need to make adjustments to how we go along. We all need to work together. We need to unify behind each other because we certainly have some very challenging times ahead." 
John Flanagan

Senator Flanagan  stated: "I don't mince my words. If I think the governor is doing something great, I'll say so...But I'm scared to death what's coming." He predicted Democrats, with large majorities in the Senate and Assembly, could push for single-payer health care, tax increases on the rich and driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants. However, presumed Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers)  and others in her incoming majority said they have no plans to raise taxes. Stewart-Cousins noted federal tax reforms passed in late 2017 are likely to negatively affect many New Yorkers. "We are not coming in there to raise people's taxes," Stewart-Cousins said. "... I'm personally concerned about the impact of this federal tax bill on the New York taxpayers, and I think most people in our position are."


Washington, D.C.WashingtonGR


Congress returns to Washington this week. There are 25 days until the deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown, and only 12 legislative days days until Dec. 7 when funding runs out for a large part of the federal government. 

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Senate Confirms Miki Bowman As First Ever Community Banking Representative on Fed Board

Michelle "Miki" Bowman
By a vote of  64 to 34, the U.S. Senate late last week confirmed Michelle "Miki" Bowman for the Federal Reserve Board as the first person to fill the Fed's community banking seat, which was instituted by Congress in 2015. Her nomination was approved by the Senate Banking Committee in June on a bipartisan vote. ICBA, supported by IBANYS, successfully advocated for the position, and strongly urged the Senate to confirm her. A coalition of 43 state associations, including IBANYS, expressed support for Bowman's nomination in a  joint letter to senators, citing her qualifications and bipartisan backing. Bowman, the Kansas State Bank Commissioner, has also served as: 
  • Vice President of Farmers & Drovers Bank in Council Grove, Kansas; 
  • Worked for former Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS); 
  • Served as counsel for the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform; 
  • Executive for the Federal Emergency Management Agency; 
  • Worked the for Department of Homeland Security. 
ICBA President & CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey commented: "As a fifth-generation community banker with experience at the state and federal levels, Miki Bowman is ideally suited for the Fed's community banking seat. We look forward to working with her on pressing regulatory issues facing community banks and the communities they serve."



Kraninger Confirmation Expected Later This Month

Kathy Kraninger
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has filed a motion that could bring the Trump administration's nominee for 
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director to a confirmation vote by the full Senate later this month. The cloture motion on the nomination of Kathy Kraninger moves the Senate one step closer to confirming a permanent director of the bureau following the departure late last year of former Director Richard Cordray. Mick Mulvaney, who is also the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, (OMB), has been serving as the CFPB's Acting Director.




Crapo Expected To Stay As Senate Banking Chairman

Mike Crapo
U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) is now expected to remain Senate Banking Chairman, since Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) plans to 
seek the Senate Finance Committee chairmanship. (Chairman Crapo would have been in line to chair the Finance Committee had Grassley stayed as chair of the Judiciary Committee.) Sen. Crapo has worked closely with ICBA, and championed S.2155, the major regulatory relief law enacted this year. He plans to focus on data security and privacy issues during the next Congress.



Other Federal Updates:

 


 

Community Banks Eligible For An Exemption


 

Jelena McWilliams

According to FDIC Chairman Jelena McWilliams, the agency estimates more than 80 percent of community banks will be eligible for an exemption from newly proposed proposed risk-based capital requirements. The S. 2155 regulatory relief law requires that banking agencies to develop a community bank leverage ratio of between 8 and 10 percent. Banks with less than $10 billion in assets that meet the leverage ratio will be considered well capitalized and exempt from all risk-based capital requirements, including the Basel III capital rules. ICBA and IBANYS have advocated for a community bank exemption from Basel III, and support an 8 percent threshold to maximize the benefit for community banks.

 

 

4 NY Democrats Oppose Election of Nancy Pelosi As Speaker

 

Nancy Pelosi

Four New York Democrats from the New York Congressional Delegation are among the 16 House Democrats who signed a letter opposing the election of Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the next Speaker of the House of Representatives. The letter includes at least three additional Democrats who have confirmed they intend to oppose her on the floor. The House Democratic Conference will choose its leader November 28. To date, no other candidate has come forward to run against Pelosi. The four New Yorkers who oppose her election are Rep. Kathleen Rice (Long Island), Rep. Brian Higgins (Western New York), Rep.-Elect Max Rose (Staten Island) and likely Rep.-Elect Anthony Brindisi (Utica) - although a recount is still ongoing in his race. As of now, House Democrats have won 233 seats, meaning Pelosi can only afford to lose 15 votes. She needs 218 votes to be elected Speaker on January 3.

 

Industry Trends & Updates


EGF: 3 Client Success Stories
 
When banks partner with Excelsior Growth Fund (EGF), everyone wins. As a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), EGF offers responsible and affordable financing options to small businesses.  By partnering with EGF, banks not only help their clients access capital, they also connect them to all the business services and support they need to become eligible for traditional financing in the future. 

Clients receive the funding they need to grow their business and banks get to help their clients succeed while keeping the door open with them for the future.  EGF values the critical role that their banker partnerships play in their mission. With the support of those partners, they're able to help small businesses and strengthen communities. To show their thanks and demonstrate the power of partnerships, EGF is sharing three success stories that were made possible by their banking partners.

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ICBA's Romero Rainey: Community Banks "Well Positioned" 
For Success  In New Congress

Rebeca Romero Rainey
Writing in The Hill's "Congress Blog" on Monday, November 19, ICBA President & CEO Rebeca Romero Rainey notes: "Much of Washington is anticipating a sea change after the 2018 midterm elections produced a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives. The divided Congress is expected to bring greater conflict and gridlock to the legislative process following two years of unified Republican control. But the nation's community banks - whose uniquely bipartisan backing delivered one of the few major regulatory reform bills of recent years - remain well positioned to continue advancing their policy goals under the new regime." 

T here will be opportunities to expand on (the S.2155) regulatory improvements during the 116 th  Congress. According to the blog:  "Community banks maintain strong bonds with policymakers of all political stripes. Because each congressional district is home to at least one of the nation's more than 52,000 community bank locations, which have witnessed more than a few transitions of party control, the bipartisan industry maintains strong political relationships on both sides of the aisle. In fact, divided control of Congress will require even greater bipartisan pragmatism to address many pending legislative issues facing lawmakers. And, believe it or not, there are plenty of opportunities for joint action."
   
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Home Builder Confidence Is Down

Sentiment among home builders in the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped 8 points in November, to 60. That is the lowest reading since August 2016. (However, anything above 50 is still considered positive.) The index stood at 69 in November 2017, and hit a cyclical high of 74 last December. Of the index's three components, current sales conditions fell 7 points to 67, sales expectations in the next six months dropped 10 points to 65, and buyer traffic registered an 8-point drop to 45.   As for the three-month moving averages for regional builder sentiment: 
  • The Northeast rose 2 points to 58 
  • The Midwest fell 1 point to 57
  • The South declined 2 points to 68
  • The West dropped 3 points to 71.
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Consumer Prices Are On The Rise

The U.S. Labor Department's Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.3 percent last month, after edging up 0.1 percent in September. In the 12 months (through October), the CPI increased 2.5 percent, picking up from September's 2.3 percent rise. U.S. consumer prices in October increased by the most in nine months amid gains in the cost of gasoline and rents, pointing to steadily rising inflation that many believe may keep the Federal Reserve on track to raise interest rates again next month.  Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI climbing 0.3 percent and the core CPI gaining 0.2 percent in October.

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Retirement: A Financial Challenge For Many

According to a recent retirement study by  Wells Fargo 85 percent of working Americans believe retirement will be a "positive new chapter in life."   However, 70 percent of respondents are concerned about running out of money.  More than half of Americans (57 percent) have less than $1,000 in their savings accounts, according to  a separate GOBankingRates survey

A nother  report  by the Stanford Center on Longevity found nearly one-third of "baby boomers" had  no money saved  in retirement plans in 2014, when they were on average 58 years old.  Among boomers who did have positive balances, the median savings was around $200,000. The Stanford Center advises those who plan to retire at 65 should be saving between 10-to-17 percent of their income, which is approximately double what most people are actually saving. 



Banking News

Further Your Education at Barret Graduate School of Banking BarretGradSchool



Barret and IBANYS are aligned with a common interest: to represent the interests of the industry through effective advocacy and high quality educational offerings.

Located in Memphis, TN, Barret Graduate School of Banking offers a comprehensive graduate learning program for professionals in the financial services field. IBANYS has established partnerships with key industry educators including the Barret Graduate School of Banking. The school provides community bankers with an opportunity for a graduate degree in banking. 

We are currently endorsed by ICBA, ICBA Securities, Arkansas Community Bankers, CBAofGA, Indiana Bankers Association, CBAofKS, MIBA, CBAofOH, CBAofWV - with a couple more on the way. 

To learn more about Barret Graduate School of Banking, please visit www.barret.ws.

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Keep The Door Open For Your Small Business Customers

Excelsior Growth Fund (EGF) is NYBDC's nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution and IBANYS' exclusive online lending partner. Join the growing number of banks that work with EGF to offer their customers an affordable and responsible option when they do not qualify for traditional financing. EGF offers loans up to $500,000 with a convenient, digital process. Loans under $100,000 are disbursed within 5 business days.

 EGF's experienced team can work hand-in-hand with yours to develop a customized process to make referring seamless. To learn more about offering your customers a second look through EGF contact Bryan Doxford, SVP, at bryan.doxford@excelsiorgrowthfund.org at at (212) 430-4512. 

Spotlight Bank of the WeekSpotlightBank


USNY Bank is an independently-owned, commercial bank chartered by New York State and headquartered in Geneva, NY. The bank operates two full-service banking units. Bank of the Finger Lakes with offices at 389 Hamilton Street in Geneva, NY and 100 Main Street in Penn Yan, NY and Bank of Cooperstown with offices at 73 Chestnut Street in Cooperstown, NY and 34 Main Street in Oneonta, NY. USNY Bank currently has total assets of approximately $380 million.

Cooperstown, NY Branch

The idea to form a new bank in Cooperstown began with the family of Robert O'Neill in early 2006. O'Neill contacted the late Robert Ranger and Mike Briggs, current USNY President & CEO, to become the original founders of the de novo bank. O'Neill and Ranger were both honored as Director Emeritus for their efforts on behalf of the bank.

Geneva, NY Branch

The original bank charter was approved in March 2007 and the bank received FDIC approval to open its first branch in Geneva. The Cooperstown branch opened in December 2007, the Oneonta branch in September 2014, and the fourth branch opened in Penn Yan in June 2017. Upstate New York Bancorp, Inc. was created on July 1, 2016 as the holding company for USNY Bank. 

Oneonta, NY Branch (left) & Penn Yan, NY Branch (right)

The Bank is both an SBA Preferred Lender and FSA Preferred Lender, specializing in providing banking services for small and mid-sized businesses, agribusinesses, farms and wineries; in addition to providing retail lending services to local consumers.
USNY Bank has received recognition for its financial performance by various bank industry firms. The bank has experienced consistent growth in total assets and net income since its inception. 

President & CEO Mike Briggs added, "We're very pleased to have been listed among the top performing banks in the country. This just didn't happen. It's a testament to the high-quality customer service consistently delivered by our employees; the commitment of our directors, community board members and management; the investment by our shareholders; plus the loyalty of our bank customers. USNY Bank remains committed to reinvesting local deposits back into the communities we serve. We're here to serve our customers and make positive contributions to the local economy. We make loans that help support local businesses and farms to help them grow. And that supports helps everyone. It's what we mean when we say What Starts Here, Stays Here. When people bank with us, they know that the money stays right here."

Briggs is also the Immediate Past Chairman of IBANYS, current Chairman of Atlantic Community Bankers Bank, and Atlantic Community Bancshares, Inc.

For more information, please visit 
www.usnybank.com .


IBANYS Spotlight Is On...


Strategic Resource Management (SRM)
 
is currently serving over 200 financial institutions to reduce expenses, enhance revenue and maximize bottom line performance. 

Drawing on its extensive experience, market insight, and proprietary benchmarking database, SRM helps banks improve their bottom line, without sacrificing quality or valued vendor relationships. 

For additional information and details ,
contact :

Ben Mrva, Executive Vice President 

IBANYS Endorsed Services
IBANYS identifies offers products and services that provide value to your banks, companies, employees communities. These brief summaries provide links for information. Please contact IBANYS President John Witkowski with questions.

Health & Wellness

My Wellness Resource & TELADOC

The health and wellness landscape continues to evolve. "My Wellness Resource" can be a nice addition to your existing benefit package. 

Teladoc can save your banks time and money, and provide real value to your employees as this testimonial from a New York community bank CEO proves:
HERE'S WHAT YOUR FELLOW NEW YORK
COMMUNITY BANKER SAYS. . .
"I wanted to let you know that some of our employees and I have been using "Teladoc" and it is one of the best things we have done for the bank. We all love it: We are saving time, avoiding waiting in an urgent care center or a doctor's waiting room for non-emergency related illnesses . . .and it is easy to use and convenient. Once you use it, you are hooked! This was a great find! Would recommend it to all banks."

Mario Martinez 
Chairman & CEO
Catskill Hudson Bank

Contact Alan Justin: (716) 907-5500. 


"Cure the Blue" Helps Banking Industry Battle Prostate Cancer!

The "Cure the Blue" program sponsored by the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation allows New Yorkers to participate in one of the most comprehensive efforts to help promote prostate cancer awareness and research in the United States.  Lake Shore Savings Bank has provided prostate cancer literature and Cure the Blue information at all eleven of its branches and their headquarters in Dunkirk. The bank also offered Cure the Blue ceramic lapel ribbon pins for a $5.00 donations to Cure the Blue to all their customers. "We fully understand the severity of this disease and the devastating effect it can have on families" said Lake Shore Savings Bank President and CEO Dan Reininga. "Our support of the Buffalo Bills Alumni Foundation's "Cure the Blue" initiative is something that we are taking very seriously and are proud to support." Buffalo Bills Wall of Famer and Alumni Foundation President Booker Edgerson, a two time prostate cancer survivor, said the bank has been a tremendous longtime supporter, noting: "They have really stepped up to the plate with their unwavering support of our Cure the Blue initiative." 

IBANYS urges all of our member banks, associate members and allies to join the effort. Cure the Blue" raises funds and awareness regarding prostate cancer in New York State. Visit  curetheblue.com  to get involved! Of all new cancer cases in the nation, prostate cancer represents 9.6%. In 2017, there were an estimated 161,000 new cases, and more than 26,000 fatalities due to the disease. Support IBANYS' "Cure the Blue" campaign to help New Yorkers participate to promote prostate cancer awareness and research.


Secure, Enhanced Internet Presence

The .bank program by fTLD operates trusted, verified, more secure, easily-identifiable internet locations for financial companies and  customers. www.icba.org 

Did You Know?

. . .THANKSGIVING TRIVIA. . .

. . .You probably know that  the celebration that most people consider the "first" Thanksgiving occurred in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.  But did you also know that it lasted three days, was celebrated much earlier than our current celebration (possibly in late September) and included about 50 European settlers and 90 native Americans? 

. . .And, did you also know that Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was started in 1924 by Louis Bamberger in Newark, New Jersey before it was transferred to New York City? 

. . .And, did you also know that although President Kennedy was the first president to record an unofficial "pardon" of a Thanksgiving Turkey back in 1963, it was President George H. W. Bush who made it an annual tradition in 1989 -- one that has been followed by every successive president? 

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



John J. Witkowski
President & Chief Executive Officer

Stephen W. Rice
Director of Government Relations & Communications

Linda Gregware
Director of Administration & Membership Services

William Y. Crowell III
Legislative Counsel

Natalie Rowan
Marketing & Social Media Assistant