The Arkansas Bankers Association was established in 1891. It is the state's largest and oldest banking industry organization and represents over 200 banks, bank holding companies, and savings & loans in Arkansas. The ABA provides a variety of member services, including educational programs, products and services, publications and a comprehensive government relations program.

MISSION STATEMENT

As the premier financial services organization, the Arkansas Bankers Association seeks to fulfill the needs of the state’s financial institutions by providing the very best and latest opportunities in industry education, governmental relations, communication, and products and services.

Through these principles the Arkansas Bankers Association is committed to expanding its resources in a manner that best serves the evolving demands of its membership.

BANKING ON YOUR ABA MEMBERSHIP

Arkansas Bankers Association’s success depends on the collective and collaborative works of our members. In order for us to truly represent the industry and to address its many concerns, it is necessary for us to hear from, and work hand-in-hand with, members from the different regions in our state, and from banks of every size and growth strategy.

We know that when you belong to an organization like ours, which provides so many different services and products, it is hard to figure out how to stay in touch with all of our benefits of membership. To help you better understand the different ways in which you can help your industry, your bank and the ABA , we have compiled a short list of some of the opportunities which are available to you:

• Join one of the ABA ’s committees. Our committee’s are made up of bankers with varying ranges of expertise and tenure to ensure a true cross-section of participation. Our committees help keep us abreast of emerging issues and problems, and work to find solutions and resources to address these matters. We have standing committees for Education, Trust & Wealth Management, Agriculture and our Executive committee oversees the management of the association and acts as the Government Relations committee.  In the past, special committees have been formed for Compliance issues, Lending practices and HR issues to name a few.
  
  
• Attend the group meetings. Here you appoint the board member(s) for your district; appoint the members for the Emerging Leaders and Trust sections and elect your group officers. This is the perfect time to facilitate discussions and identify banking trends that are specific to your region. And, from time to time, the ABA will bring local elected officials and/or candidates, as well as regulators, to these meetings so that you can learn first hand what your policy makers are most concerned about.
  
  
• Help our banking industry be heard both in Little Rock and in Washington ,   D.C. by leading or participating in these discussions with the elected officials in your district offices. Our legislators tell us that the thing that makes the biggest difference in their policy decisions is knowing exactly how it will impact their constituents and that having heard it first hand from their constituents is crucial. By lending your voice and your contributions to the ABA PACs, you can help ensure the passage of laws that help our industry and our state’s economy, rather than hurt them.
  
  
• We also offer our members the opportunity to participate in meetings with their federal regulators and national elected officials with our Annual Visit to Washington , held each September. Every banker who participates plays an integral role in educating our regulators and our congressional delegation on the issues affecting our industry.
  
  
• Stay alert to where the industry is headed and about the challenges and opportunities by attending, and sending your staff, to ABA ’s premier Professional Development Programs.  Among our best attended and most sought-after events are the Annual Convention and Day-With-the- Commissioner and our Bank Management Seminar. Additionally we offer; Director’s training, Senior Lending, HR, Compliance and Emerging Leaders Seminars. We offer conferences designed for HR directors, compliance officers, bank security and risk managers, IT and lending officers.
  
  
• There are dozens and dozens of additional training and educational opportunities to meet the needs of your staff, regardless of their function or seniority.  The ABA runs its own commercial lending school, and offers timely seminars on topics such as BSA compliance, loan review, construction lending, and call report preparation. ABA is also the local provider for the complete catalog of self-paced and/or instructor led online training options from the American Bankers Association’s American Institute of Banking (AIB).

So, where do you start? Call our Director of Services, Bill Holmes, at 501.376.3741, or e-mail him at bill.holmes@arkbankers.org.