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Bankers must resist the urge to obsess over the hassles of QM and other new rules, says Jeff Plagge, the new chairman of the American Bankers Association and CEO of Northwest Financial in Iowa. Doing so distracts them from adequately serving customers and contributing to economic growth, he says.
October 21 -
The American Bankers Association has formed a group to lobby on behalf of rural lenders.
September 17 -
The American Bankers Association has endorsed the mortgage unit of SunTrust Banks (STI) as an outlet for banks to sell mortgage loans.
September 3
Members of the American Bankers Association have elected a new leadership team and voted in 10 new board members.
The new officers and board members were elected Tuesday at the ABA's annual convention in New Orleans.
Plagge has been an ABA member for 23 years and has served on a variety of leadership committees in the group.
"As the new ABA chairman, I have been given a great opportunity and a big responsibility," Plagge said in a news release. "Fortunately, this opportunity is also one of the things I most enjoy - advocating on behalf of our industry. Like those before me, I vow to do my best to move this industry forward so we can continue our critical work in our communities."
John Ikard, CEO of FirstBank Holding Co. in Lakewood, Colo., became chairman-elect. Also elected to leadership roles were R. Daniel Blanton, CEO of Georgia Bank & Trust in Augusta, who became vice chairman, and Gary Hemmer, CEO of First National Bank of Waterloo in Illinois, who became treasurer.
In addition, 10 new board members were elected: Charles Funk of MidWestOne Bank in Iowa City, Iowa; William Grant of First United Bank & Trust in Oakland, Md.; Paul Greig of FirstMerit Corp. (FMER) in Akron, Ohio; George Hermann of Windsor Federal Savings & Loan in Connecticut.; John Klebba of Legends Bank in Linn, Mo.; Dorothy Savarese of Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank in Orleans, Mass.; Thomas Shaffer of 1867 Western Financial Corp. in Stockton, Calif.; Frank Sorrentino of ConnectOne Bancorp in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.; Jeffrey Szyperski of Chesapeake Bank in Kilmarnock, Va.; and Edward Willingham of First Citizens Bank in Raleigh, N.C.
They join 15 bankers who are continuing their terms on the ABA's board.
