Spring 2017                        Edition 2, Volume 1
RMA Eastern Iowa Chapter Newsletter
Please note our new website address and email address:  

RMA Eastern Iowa Chapter
www.rmaeasterniowa.org
sandy@rmaeasterniowa.org


Board Member Highlight
Laura Glab is a Credit Analyst Officer with Premier Bank in Dubuque, IA.  Premier Bank is a $190 million asset size bank which has been a part of the Dubuque Community for nearly two decades .   Laura has served on the Board of the Eastern Iowa Chapter of the RMA since 2012 and has been the Treasurer since 2013. She finds RMA to be a great resource for training and networking with other banking professionals.  Laura views the RMA as a great educational resource which fulfills training needs for both small and large community banks. Laura will be representing the Eastern Iowa Chapter of the RMA Board at the the RMA Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, in June and is hoping to learn about ways to engage RMA members and promote educational opportunities.

Laura began her banking career in 1997 as a Credit Analyst with Heartland Financial after graduating with a degree in Finance from the University of Iowa.  Early in her career as a Credit Analyst, Laura attended school in the evenings at the University of Dubuque and received a Masters in Business Administration in 2001.  While at Heartland, Laura also held positions as a Personal Banker, Mortgage Lender, Loan Review Officer and Small Business Portfolio Manager. Laura joined Premier Bank in 2014 as a Credit Analyst and enjoys working closely with the Commercial Lenders to underwrite small business loans for Dubuque area commercial loan customers.

She is proud to have passed the RMA Credit Risk Certification in November of 2015.  Laura is very happy to answer questions and offer advice for any RMA members who are considering taking the Credit Risk Certification test.  She also received a Certificate in Loan Review from the Bankers Training and Certification Center in May 2008 and she completed the RMA Credit Professional training series in September 2004.

Laura and her husband of 14 years, Tom, live in Dubuque and have two boys, John, age 12, and Robert, age 10.  Laura stays busy with her childrens' school and extracurricular activities, along with volunteering in the community.  She has been a member of the  Noon Optimist Club of Dubuque since 2008 and has served as a Treasurer/Secretary in the past.  She plays recreation league volleyball, enjoys painting and traveling.


 2017 Classes
Following are the programs the RMA Eastern Iowa Chapter has scheduled.  For more information on the class please visit our 
website.  

Each one of these classes is being held in Dubuque:

May 18-19
Financial Statement Analysis
September 25-26
Cash Flow Analysis I: UCA Fundamentals
October 16
Analyzing Business Tax Returns
October 17
Analyzing Personal Financial Statements
November 6-8
The RMA Lending Academy II
November 14
Problem Loan Workouts
November 15
Relationship Management: Using Credit as a Sales Tool

If there is a program that you would like to see offered please let us know.  Contact Sandy at sandy@rmaeasterniowa.org  .
Our Current Board Members
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Linked-In Group
Please join our linked-in group to stay updated on our Chapter events and to receive other information related to the financial industry and what is going on with the Eastern Iowa Chapter.

Please go to:
and request to become a member.
 
Get Involved!
The RMA Eastern Iowa Chapter presents opportunities for individuals to get involved.
Chapters rely on the talents of volunteers to stage many of their programs, conduct membership development efforts, and promote the ideals of the Association. To find out more about how you can get involved in our chapter, contact Sandy Gruber at sandy@rmaeasterniowa.org .
 
President's Message
Welcome to our summer newsletter. I hope you take the time to read through it and give us your comments. It is designed for our chapter members.

If you have suggestions for future topics, or if you would like to write an article for the newsletter, please let us know. The goal of this newsletter is to provide you with information you can use within your area.

Ed Benjamin, 2017 Chapter President
 
Recent Events Highlighted
Credit Analyst Roundtable - 2/22/17
 
Credit Analyst Roundtable - February 22, 2017
 
The RMA Eastern Iowa Chapter held a Credit Analyst Round Table on Wed., February 22, 2017. The event provided a forum for credit analysts from community banks to address a wide range of topics.  There were 40 people in attendance. This forum created a great networking opportunity.
 
Fundamentals of Ag Finance - April 18, 2017
 
The RMA EAstern Iowa Chapter held the Fundamentals of Ag Finance class on April 18, 2017.  We had a nice turnout with 15 people registered.  Jeff Davey, MBA, CRC, Manager Loan Review, Wipfli LLP, was the presenter. 
 
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RMA Announces the Next Class of RMA Scholars

Mr. Tom Glanz, RMA member and Ms. Jordan Stout, scholarship recipient from Mt. Mercy University
Ms. Laura Glab, RMA member and Mr. Tayler Burns, scholarship recipient from the University of Dubuque

By Frank Devlin for the April 2017 RMA Journal
 
THE RISK MANAGEMENT Association announced in February it had selected 58 new RMA Scholars. The highly qualified college students received RMA Foundation Scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 for students who demonstrate an intent to pursue a career in banking. Additionally, the Foundation renewed the awards of 23 students who won scholarships last year, bringing the number of active RMA Scholars this year to 81. A total of $202,000 was awarded.
 
The RMA Foundation scholarships are intended to address banking's talent gap by supporting students on their journeys into the financial services industry. The Risk Management Association, whose mission is to advance the use of sound risk management principles in the industry, created the Foundation in 2014 and seeded it with $5 million. It has since provided another $1 million to the Foundation.
 
"Helping to pave the way for bright students with a demonstrated interest in working in financial services is important work for RMA," RMA CEO Bill Githens said. "It is very gratifying to be part of such an important effort, and heartening to know that, thanks to RMA's financial commitment, the Foundation will continue to fund RMA Scholars for many years to come."
 
Applications for the next round of RMA Foundation scholarships will be accepted in the fall. In addition to applying for scholarships, banking-focused students are encouraged to take advantage of free RMA student memberships.
 
To be eligible for scholarships, students must: be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada; have completed a minimum of two years in college; have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; be enrolled full-time at an accredited institution in the United States or Canada; and be majoring in accounting, business, finance, economics, banking, or a related area of study with the intention to work in the banking industry.
 
RMA Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, participation in school or community activities, work experience, demonstrated interest in the banking industry, and their career goals. Financial need is not considered. 

Student Memberships
FREE student memberships with RMA provides the resources students need to differentiate themselves, and position themself, as a strong candidate to potential employers in the financial services industry.

By joining RMA for free as a student member, students can fully enjoy all the benefits of membership.  For more information click here.

RMA Member Benefits

Are you a member of RMA?  If YES - thank you very much for supporting the organization and local chapter!  If you are not, please consider joining RMA as an Institution, Associate, or Professional member.  RMA also offers membership opportunities for Academics and Students who are focusing in majors surrounding risk management and banking.  Benefits of membership can include -
  • Access to RMA Xchange
  • Subscription to The RMA Journal
  • Exclusive regulatory updates
  • Free downloads of Industry Study Packs
  • Access to local events including chapter hosted roundtables, panelist discussions, networking opportunities, and more!
For more information on membership, please visit:
www.rmahq.org
RMA Credit Risk Certification - Why RMA CRC?

In today's rapidly changing financial services industry, you need practical, day-to-day knowledge that will help you excel in your profession. You need the latest skills-skills that are current and complete. And you need the demonstrated ability to serve a diverse base of clients. Plus, you need all of your knowledge, skills, and abilities to be validated by a respected organization like RMA. For more information, visit 
...

To join our mailing list please contact Sandy at sandy@rmaeasterniowa.org .