18
Wisconsin Community Banker
January/February 2014
Brad Grant, Calumet
County Bank, Brillion
Despite the
efforts of the fed-
eral government to
run the country’s
economy into the
ditch through
excessive regula-
tion and poor fiscal
and economic policy, the resilience of
the banking industry and that of small
businesses will see us through.
Paul Kohler, Charter
Bank, Eau Claire
The outlook
for community
banking in 2014
will be challenging
on many fronts.
Loan growth will
be especially dif-
ficult as there are
too many banks chasing the few loans
that are out there. This will continue
to erode our net interest margin. Of
course, regulation continues to be a
very large thorn in everyone’s side,
making it harder to do our jobs.
However, there are many positives.
Credit quality seems to have improved
significantly at most banks. Tech-
nology has made it easier for us to
compete against the mega banks. And,
I believe, most communities see the
value in community banks and the
vital roles that they play. They know
we are the good guys and that they
can trust their community bankers.
Finally, I strongly believe that the “Go
Local” campaign will continue to help
community banks thrive.
Jim Loe, Pioneer Bank of
Wisconsin, Ladysmith
I am optimistic
for our community
banking industry
as we enter 2014.
As an industry
we are healthier
than we have been
in several years.
Community banks have for the most
part shed the asset quality issues that
slowed our industry’s recovery. We
enter 2014 with the ability and the
liquidity to make good loans. Healthy
community banks depend on healthy
communities. It will be critically
important for community banks that
we as community bankers continue to
invest our time, resources, and collec-
tive experience to assist our communi-
ties. It will continue to be hard work to
manage through the tight net interest
margins and sluggish loan demand we
face while at the same time maintain-
ing regulatory compliance. Let us not
lose focus on community growth in
the process.
Doug Martin, Livingston
State Bank
I think com-
munity banking is
alive and will do
very well in 2014.
Banks are in a great
position to increase
lending as credit
quality is strong
and liquidity and earnings have both
improved over the past two years. The
biggest challenge that we all face is the
ever increasing regulatory burden, but
we are hopeful that the message has
been received that Main Street banks
did not cause the recent recession and
that the Wall Street banks will bear the
largest brunt of the increased regula-
tory burden.
Bill McDonald,
Greenwoods State Bank,
Lake Mills
I believe the
community bank-
ing outlook will be
that of a long-term
focus. Banks will
continue to analyze
several key areas
including products
and services offered, technology, deliv-
ery channels, and efficiencies. While
some economic signs look good, the
challenge for all banks to manage rate
change will be a continued focus. The
industry, especially community banks,
will continue to go through change as
it relates to regulatory burden, merger
and acquisition discussions, and the
competitive landscape. Community
banks have navigated through these
waters before and I am confident we
will again.
Thomas Oehler, Peoples
Bank, Elkhorn
I look for 2014
to be another solid
year for com-
munity banking
in Wisconsin. We
will all benefit
from an improving
economy, albeit
at a slow pace. In addition, certainly
we will continue to be challenged to
adjust how we operate to best meet
new regulations within an environ-
ment of skinnier interest margins.
But given the opportunity for all of
us community bankers to continue to
show Washington and our clients that
we are different than the big banks, we
will continue to win and prosper in
2014 and beyond.
Sue Paoli, First National
Bank of Niagara
I feel the outlook
for community
banking in 2014
will be strong. We
will still have some
economic issues
to deal with but
overall the commu-
nity banks are very strong. The main
struggles we will be faced with are all
the new regulations that are going into
place. These regulations should have
been for the too-big-to-fail banks and
mortgage companies. The large banks
and mortgage companies were the
ones who put the customers into posi-
tions that they should not have been
placed in. Community banks are still
very strong, will continue to be strong,
and are here to help our customers—
not to jeopardize them. Unfortunately,
some of the regulations are making it
harder for us to work out issues that
our customers may have to deal with.
Banking is not like it used to be!
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