Your IBANYS Team: 
Working Together To Make 2017 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 2017 PAC contribution form. Help support IBANYS' political action efforts in New York State.

Partner

April 19, 2017


A special "thank you" to these associate members who have renewed their IBANYS associate membership since the start of our fiscal year. 
Genesis PPG
Jamesson Associates
D+H
CSI (Computer Services, Inc.)
FTN Financial
CEIS Review
Main Street, Inc.
The Kafafian Group, Inc.
Luse Gorman, P.C.
New York Business Development Corporation
Roosevelt & Cross
Atlantic Community Bankers Bank
Riehlman, Shafer & Shafer
PNC Bank
Smith & Wilkinson
We sincerely appreciate your membership, support and confidence!


In Less Than Two Weeks:
Join IBANYS In Washington 
. . .Key Meetings On "The Hill"
Our annual visit to Washington, D.C. and ICBA's Capital Summit will take place April 30 - May 3, with key congressional advocacy meetings set for May 2. If regulatory relief, access to capital, regulatory and tax relief, mortgage reform and agricultural lending are at the forefront of your mind, this meeting is for you! Join your fellow community bankers to advocate for our priority issues, including the passage of ICBA's "Plan for Prosperity" regulatory relief agenda IBANYS has endorsed. It's our once-a-year chance to meet with New York Congressional Delegation in their offices "on the hill" on Tuesday, May 2 , such as our senior U.S.  Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Minority Leader,  and a number of key Members of the New York Congressional Delegation including several on the House Financial Services, Small Business and Agricultural Committees. Meanwhile, speakers at the Summit will include Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jed Hensarling (R-TX). There is still time to register: CLICK HERE



IBANYS' May 9-10 Regional Lending Conferences: 
Challenges  & Opportunities
IBANYS 3rd Annual Lending Conference, co-sponsored with T.Gschwender & Associates, will be held May 9-10, 2017 in  Syracuse, N.Y. 
  • This program was a huge hit among New York's community banks the past two years. This year, outstanding speakers address the biggest opportunities and challenges in mortgage, consumer, commercial & small business lending
  • A "must attend" meeting for all who are involved in the lending & credit process, including loan officers, mortgage officers, consumer & commercial lending officers, credit officers and CFOs and senior management.
  • Attendees Can Earn up to 10 CPE Hours
Today is the day for YOUR bank to register your loan and credit professionals! PLUS: Associate Members & Preferred Providers: You still have time to become a sponsor.  Contact IBANYS' Linda Gregware: (518) 436-4646, lindag@ibanys.net or visit www.ibanys.net and click on the "Education" tab and go to Upcoming meetings.  Click here to register. Click here for sponsorship opportunities.


IBANYS CFO/Senior Management Conference:
Strategic Insights, Key Updates
In 2017, community banks' CFOs, controllers, treasurers and cashiers face bigger challenges than ever before as banks'  financial strategies continue to  evolve.  Whether growing your loan  portfolio or finding new fee income, the challenge  to create acceptable ROA and ROE performance is as diffi cult as we have seen for nearly 20 years. IBANYS'  2017 CFO & Sr. Management Conference (June 7-9 at
West Point, N.Y.) will focus on a number of strategic insights and provide important updates necessary to help senior management lead and guide New York's community banks toward a profitable and successful future. 
Topics will include:
  • State and national economic trends
  • Tax and accounting principles 
  • Interest rate risk 
  • Capital planning 
  • CECL 
  • Other timely subjects identified by IBANYS' CFO Peer Group. 
Who Should attend? 
Community bank CEOs, COOs, CFOs, Presidents, EVPs, Senior Managers, controllers, ALCO teams, cashiers and directors.  NOTE:  Attendees can earn up to 10 CPE Credit Hours (1.0 in taxation).
CLICK HERE for program details/to register, and HERE for sponsorship information.

And, Don't Forget These Upcoming Webinars & Seminars
board conference
 
BSG Financial Group Webinar: 
"Maximizing Social Media 
For Community Financial Institutions"
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Most financial institutions today realize that if they are not on social media, they are behind. Whether your institution has only a minimal presence on social media or if it has a robust team of "Tweeters" there are always opportunities for improvement. This free 60-minute webinar will explore new trends in social media marketing and teach you how to capitalize on them to improve your institution's overall performance.  Speaker Sara Harris (Administrative Director for Insight CRM Solutions) will review the most popular social media platforms and provide tips to help streamline your efforts and optimize your messaging.  This webinar will also provide a review of compliance concerns t hat should never be ignored, regardless of how sophisticated your social media efforts.  The program will be helpful to m,arketing, social media and compliance officers & teams. Click here to register. Or, 
contact BSG Marketing Manager Michele Rehm:
mrehm@bsgfinancial.com.


CSI's Semi-Annual Cybersecurity Update: "Protect Your Institution Against 
Ransomware Attacks" 
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Ransomware is a leading cybersecurity threat facing your organization today. Neglecting to protect confidential data can cost you money, customers and reputation. Register for this free webinar to get up-to-date information and best practices from Tyler Leet, CSI's director of risk and compliance services. 
You'll Learn 3 Key Takeaways:
  • Data highlighting why ransomware is one of the largest cybersecurity threats to financial institutions
  • Tactics you can perform to stay proactive
  • Potential attacks facing financial institutions in 2017
To register: https://goo.gl/NtkSGv


Promontory Financial Free Webinar On "Cash Sweep" & CDARS
May 15, 2017
Promontory Interfinancial Network is offering a free webinar May 15 to demonstrate how banks can use its services, ICS and CDARS, to manage their balance sheets efficiently, attract valuable customers, free-up collateral and improve asset liquidity.  Do you have the tools necessary to manage your balance sheet efficiently, attract valuable customers, free up collateral, and improve asset liquidity-all while providing your customers the protection and service they expect?  Join Promontory Interfinancial Network-a trusted partner chosen by more than 3,000 financial institutions for this free webinar to learn how Cash Sweep(R) and CDARS (R) can help your bank with tools to meet new challenges.  Click here to register

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GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
new york state capitol
ALBANY

With Budget Done, Second Half Of 
Session Will Soon Begin 
The 2017-18 state budget has been adopted.
  CLICK HERE to review the status of the budget sections and provisions IBANYS was engaged on because they would directly impact New York community banks.  Meanwhile, with the State Legislature set to return to Albany at the end of the month, Gov. Cuomo said he has no plans to push for any major centerpiece issues, noting : "I'll respond to the initiatives that the Legislature coms up with. Frankly, everything big we wanted to get done we got done in the budget." The Governor said he will be focused on  running the state, and "building and boosting" the upstate economy. IBANYS will continue to advocate for issues and legislation that would benefit New York community banks and the customers and communities they serve, while opposing efforts to enact legislation that would have a negative impact on them. IBANYS' Government Relations Committee and staff will be meeting and monitoring activities and developments as the second half of the session unfolds into June.

Governor Names DeRosa As New Top Aide
Gov. Cuomo named Melissa DeRosa Secretary to the Governor, the administration's top and most powerful staff position. She is the first woman ever to hold the position and, at 34 years old, also the youngest.  DeRosa succeeds William Mulrow, who returns to the private sector with The Blackstone Group and will chair Cuomo's 2018 re- election bid. DeRosa previously served as the Governor's' Chief of staff and Communications Director, was a top aide to Attorney General Schneiderman and ran President Obama's reelection effort in New York. The change continues the turnover in senior Cuomo aides. Jamie Rubin, son of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, was recently named Director of State Operations.  The Governor also announced these other administration changes: Jill DesRosiers as Executive Deputy Secretary; Andrew Ball as Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs, and former Hillary Clinton aide Michael Schmidt as Deputy Secretary for Economic Development.  


WASHINGTON, D.C.

Plan For Prosperity Submitted To Senate
ICBA submitted to the Senate Banking Committee suggested legislative language to implement several provisions of its "Plan for Prosperity" regulatory relief platform in response to their request for proposals to foster economic growth. ICBA urged Congress to:
  • expand exemption thresholds and repeal new data points under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act,
  • provide automatic qualified mortgage status for loans held in portfolio,
  • exempt non-systemically important financial institutions from Basel III capital standards,
  • relieve community bank portfolio lenders of escrow and appraisal requirements, and
  • repeal onerous new data-collection requirements for small-business loans.
ICBA's comprehensive "Plan for Prosperity" agenda contains nearly 40 separate legislative recommendations to alleviate excessive burdens and to promote lending. IBANYS will be in Washington for the ICBA Capital Summit April 30-May 3, and will advocate for the Plan for Prosperity in meetings on the hill on May 2 with New York Congressional Delegation.

Sign The Petition:  Urge Meaningful 
Regulatory Relief
ICBA wants community bankers, employees and customers to urge meaningful regulatory relief by signing a petition supporting the  Plan for Prosperity (PFP). IBANYS has endorsed the PFP, and we encourage all New York community banbkers to take action by clicking on the following link: http://bit.ly/2lYdRJU

Also, ICBA also continues calling on community bankers to express opposition to the National Credit Union Administration's proposal to allow tax-exempt credit unions to raise alternative capital. IBANYS urges New York Community bankers to submit a custom comment letter telling the NCUA that "enough is enough". . .visit icba.org and utilize the "Be Heard" grassroots site.

Randal Quarles To Be Fed's Vice Chair 
Of Supervision?
President Trump reportedly plans to nominate former Bush administration senior Treasury official Randal Quarles as the Federal Reserve's Vice Chairman of Supervision. If confirmed, he would play a key role carrying out the administration's pledge to ease some of the regulatory constraints that were put on banks after the 2008 financial crisis. At Treasury, Quarles served Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and later was Undersecretary for Domestic Finance. He has been with Carlyle Group LP, investing in the financial services industry, and was a partner at the Davis, Polk & Wardwell law firm.  He is currently a managing director at the Cynosure Group a Salt Lake City-based private equity firm.

Tax Reform Delayed?
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin downplayed the idea that tax reform could be completed before the August congressional recess, calling that time frame "highly aggressive to not realistic at this point". He blamed failed efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare as the reason for the setback. 


"The Evolving Digital Lending Landscape"  
Trevor Knott, Senior Vice President, Business Development with BSG Financial Group, has authored an article on The Evolving Digital Lending Landscape. An excerpt from the article notes, "In record numbers, consumers and small businesses alike are getting the short-term loans they need from online, non-bank lenders, like LendingTree and OnDeck....With the right digital lending strategy, your institution can profitably compete with non-bank lenders that are re-defining the loan process at your expense." 
Click here to read the full article by Mr. Knott, who will be presenting at IBANYS' upcoming Regional Lending Conferences in May.

Housing Starts Down. . .
The U.S. Commerce Department said yesterday that that housing starts declined 6.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.22 million units. February's starts were revised up to a 1.30 million-unit pace from the previously reported 1.29 million-rate.  Homebuilding  was up 9.2% compared to March 2016. Single-family starts in the Northeast were unchanged.


So Is Builders Confidence. . .
The National Association of Home Builders' index of builder confidence in the new single family homes market decreased three points in April. The decline follows an unusually high March reading. The index now stands at 68, showing continued demand for new construction amid hefty regulatory costs and ongoing increases in building material price.

Mortgage Applications, Too
Fewer homebuyers entered the mortgage market last week despite the lowest interest rate levels in five months.  The Mortgage Bankers Association said total mortgage applications decreased by 1.8% from the previous week, and total volume is down 23.5% from the same week last year. The
average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($424,100 or less) reached its lowest levels since November, dropping to 4.22% from 4.28%. Points fell to 0.35 from 0.38 (including origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio loans.  Applications to purchase a home fell 3% from the previous week and 1% from a year ago. Refinance applications increased just 0.2% from a week ago, but are down 41.5% from last year. Refinance applications increased to 42.4% of total applications, up from 41.6% the previous week.


Celebrate Community Banking Month 
Help celebrate the contributions of community banks throughout New York State.  ICBA offers materials designed for community banks to spread the word about the benefits and advantages of banking locally and supporting locally-owned businesses. Want to learn more? Visit https://www.icba.org/go-local  to review information and stories on the value of banking, shopping and dining locally. ICBA has put together a "Community Banking Month Toolkit" . . . Visit the www.icba.org/srpresources webpage

Please Support NYSIBPAC. . .
This year brings a challenging legislative session, with new chairmen of both the State Senate and State Assembly Banks Committees. Many of our competitors within the financial services industry operate very well-funded political action committees, and we need your support to ensure community banks remain an important part of the political process and debate. We have placed an updated 2017 NYSIBPAC contribution form in the column along the left border of this newsletter.  Can we count on your support?

MEMBER SERVICES & BENEFITS

 
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 
The health and wellness landscape continues to evolve. "My Wellness Resource" can be a nice addition to your existing benefit package.   C ontact Alan Justin at (716) 907-5500  or visit:  http://nbibanys.phecard.com.

. . .An IMPORTANT UPDATE: 
We are pleased to inform HR & Benefits Representatives of IBANYS member banks about a new offer available to their banks.  Offered through IBANYS' partner at My Wellness Resource is a unique program providing a $500 rebate on any new Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or Hyundai vehicle. Those firms comprise approximately 19% of all car and truck sales in the US market.  The rebate is independent of, and may be combined with, any other offer available to your employees, so it's a true cash rebate that is not available through dealerships. Employees negotiate their best deal at the dealership of their choice including other rebates, cash back offers, etc., then apply for and receive this $500 rebate after their new car purchase or lease. The program may only be  offered though individual banks, not through IBANYS itself. Therefore, if it's something you think your bank and employees might be interested in, drop a line to us and we will forward it to our contact at My Wellness, Alan Justin, who will reach out to you with  the details. 
We only ask that if you are not currently participating in the My Wellness Resource program, that you take a fair & objective look at the program!

Secure, Enhanced Internet Presence
The .bank program by fTLD operates trusted, verified, more secure and easily-identifiable locations on the Internet for financial companies and the customers they serve. Visit www.icba.org/SRPArticles<http://www.icba.org/SRPArticles> page 

Online Lending
Excelsior Growth Fund (EGF) is NYBDC's nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution and IBANYS' exclusive online lending  partner . Visit 

Battle Against Prostate Cancer
Cure the Blue" raises funds and awareness regarding prostate cancer in New York State. Visit www.curetheblue.com to get involved!  
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IBANYS Webinars Are Designed 
For  New York Community Banks:
Is YOUR Bank Participating? 
New York's community banks face an array of challenges -- and, opportunities! Bank officers, board members and employees need to stay fully informed and up-to-date. . . on their responsibilities -- and, their potential liabilities. Community bankers need the proper information and tools to effectively do so, and to execute their business and strategic plan to prepare for the future.  Here's one important, convenient way to do this:  IBANYS' 2017 webinars. These presentations are designed to meet the needs of New York community banks. The programs are both effective and cost-effective. . . and participating couldn't be easier! Community bankers can do so from their own offices. The number of participants has dramatically increased over the past few years. Is your bank among those who have benefited?  If not, find out why so many of  your industry and association peers are taking advantage of these webinars. R eview upcoming programs link below:
https://financialedinc.com/a/ibanys/category/live

. . .  Jamesson Associates 
Michael Jamesson has over thirty years of experience in banking and related fields. His experience spans the full range of banking institutions from community, thrift, and metropolitan regional banks to regional and super-regional bank holding companies. Since founding Jamesson Associates in 1991, he has focused his efforts on financial advisory services for community banks and thrifts. Mr. Jamesson is a frequent speaker at IBANYS and other industry seminars.  His successful projects and activities include:
  • Strategic Planning
Organizing and moderating strategic planning processes for community-oriented financial institutions.
  • Asset/Liability Management
Full range of services --- process analysis and design, Policy design, and report review and recommendation.
  • Investment Banking
Branch/bank subsidiary purchases and/or divestitures, community-oriented bank stock offerings/repurchases, and merger of equals.

 
. . .That the New York State Department of Financial Services was created in 2011 with the merger of the former State Banking and Insurance Departments? The Banking Department had been  created by the  Legislature  in 1851, with a chief officer to be known as the Superintendent. Before the 2011 merger, the New York State Banking Department was the oldest bank regulatory agency in the United States. 


 

 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