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111 West Monroe, Suite 440Phoenix, Arizona 85003Phone: (602) 258-1200 • Fax: (602) 258-8980AzBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS2012-2013Lynne Herndon, ChairmanCity PresidentBBVA Compass BankMike Thorell, Chairman-ElectPresidentPinnacle BankBenito Almanza, Vice-ChairArizona PresidentBank of AmericaJames Lundy, Immediate PastChairmanCEOAlliance Bank of ArizonaToby DayArizona PresidentArizona Business BankGail GracePresident & CEOSunrise Bank of ArizonaStephen JohnsonPresident, ArizonaM&I BankChuck LuhtalaPresidentCanyon Community BankBrian RileyPresident & CEOMohave State BankJoseph StewartChairman & CEO, ArizonaJPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.Gerrit Van HuisstedeRegional PresidentWells Fargo BankCandace WiestPresident & CEOWest Valley Naonal BankAzBA STAFFPaul HickmanPresident & CEOJan ArredondoDirector, AdministraonTheresa KleinleinDirector, Markeng and Member ServicesWhy Go ToWashington D.C.?THIS INDUSTRY IS LARGELY REGULATED OUT OF WASHINGTON D.C.; FROM DODDFRANK TO BASEL III TO CREDIT UNION BUSINESS LENDING TO MORTGAGE LENDING. STATE BANKERS ASSOCIATIONS MAKE IT A PRACTICE OF TAKING BANKERSAND BANK DIRECTORS TO D.C. ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE TRIPS ARE FOCUSED ONmembers of the AZ congressional delegation and senior government officials at theagencies that regulate our industry.Mike Thorell, President and CEO of Pinnacle Bank, recentlyparticipated in the AzBA’s February trip to D.C. to meet withAZ’s freshman Members of Congress. Bankers met with HouseFinancial Services Committee member, Kyrsten Sinema, Rep. RonBarber, Rep. Matt Salmon, and Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick. Mike andhis colleagues also had an opportunity to visit with RepresentativesSchweikert and Gosar on the outgoing flight. We spoke to Mikeabout his perspective on “why go to Washington?”Mike, what does a bank president get out of these meetings with members ofCongress? It’s two fold. One is the exposure to them and their recognition andinterest in our industry and the support we need. Specifically it gives us the opportunityto address current issues they might not be as fluent in — issues that requiretheir attention.What was the most important policy discussed on the last visit? Basel III and itsimpact on the ability of community banks to offer affordable mortgage lending.Are these trips “all business?” The primary function is all business but at the endof the day we have the opportunity to get together with peers which is equally asenjoyable and important as meeting with the delegation. The community bankingenvironment is pretty collegial so we get the opportunity to learn about theproblems our peers face and discuss how community banking “should be” and howit actually “is.”How many of these trips have you gone on and who have you met with otherthan members of Congress? I’ve been on four or five. I’ve had the honor of meetingwith leadership at the Federal Reserve, Treasury department, FDIC, and OCC.Do you think these trips are productive in moving policy? Yes! Our delegationwas able to provoke a congressional hearing on Basel III during the lame ducksession of Congress in November. I believe this was a direct result of our meetingswith David Schweikert and Paul Gosar in September of that year. 6 www.azbankers.org