SAN ANTONIO–The new chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America has a message that would sound familiar at any credit union event.
R. Scott Heitkamp, president and CEO of ValueBank Texas of Corpus Christi, Texas, told community bankers gathered at the ICBA Community Banking LIVE 2017 national convention that, “As community bankers, we are different. We honor and keep our commitments. We stay steady in our principles and our values, because our industry is built on values.”
The ICBA said that in reinforcing his message that community bankers are difference makers, Heitkamp cited an example of a Small Business Administration loan he made to help a local entrepreneur finance a bakery. After only three years, she’s paid off her loan, is employing local residents, and is making a real name for her business, he said.
“That one loan, one idea, one community bank decision was a real difference maker—for the entrepreneur and for our community,” he said.
The ICBA reported that Heitkamp also encouraged community banks to embrace the “new normal” and the role of technology to help address the needs of their customers while continuing to fight for meaningful regulatory reform. “The future is bright for community banking,” he said. “And while we look to the future, we must never lose sight of what we stand for.”
He also called for an end to the “overzealous” regulatory environment.