With every issue of Hoosier Banker, we celebrate our vital role in the communities we serve. We care about our communities. We are invested in our communities. We live, work and play in our communities. These are the core values of community banking and the drivers of our strategic plans every year. As community bankers, we can – and do – make a difference in our communities and it is privilege to serve our clients, who are often our friends and neighbors.
As covered later in this issue, it was an interesting and challenging legislative session in the Statehouse this year. In addition, there is always something happening on the banking and financial services front in Washington at the federal level. Amber Van Til, Dax Denton and Connor Wong are strong voices for the banking industry throughout the year in both the Indiana Statehouse and on Capitol Hill in Washington. I actually think they enjoy it, which is important as it’s their job!
But, for many of us, engagement in the political process is not something we particularly enjoy. Yet, it is important that our voices be heard in the Statehouse and on Capitol Hill. We are consistently told by our state and federal elected officials that the voices that matter the most are ours, the community bankers. Whether it’s through a simple text, email or phone call, our messages must be delivered. Perhaps the most effective engagement is to visit with our elected leaders when they are at home in our Indiana backyards. Participation in the Indiana BANKPAC is also an important component of our impact in the political process. In 2025, 76% of IBA-member banks participated in raising funds for the PAC. To those of you who donated, thank you for providing financial support for our efforts. If you or your bank do not contribute to the PAC, please consider participating in 2026 as it does make a difference in the strength of our voice.
As we entered March, we’ve started to experience some warming temperatures and are seeing a little bit more blue sky and sunshine. Spring is just around the corner, and that means that the Mega Conference is going to be here before we know it! Did you know that Mega is the largest state banking association conference in the country? It represents the best of Hoosier banking and as the cover story of this issue details, 2026 will be a wonderful opportunity to bring our teams together to celebrate Indiana community banking and expand our horizons!
