May 06 2010 14 mins 1
There is a sense that Congress soon will pass historic banking regulatory reforms - and soon after, community banking institutions will start to feel the impact.
"Community banks were not the problem, but community banks will be part of the solution," says Larry Marik, newly-elected chair of the Nebraska Bankers Association.
In an exclusive interview, Marik, also the chairman of the First National Bank of Columbus and Norfolk, discusses:
- The state of banking in Nebraska today;
- How the association advises member banks to fight fraud;
- What banking regulatory reform means to Main Street Institutions.
Marik has been with First National Bank of Columbus since 1980, serving as vice president of retail services and marketing, senior vice president, president, and currently as chairman of the board of directors. Marik understands the importance of community involvement, having served in numerous leadership roles within Columbus, Neb. In fact, he is the first community leader in Columbus to serve both as mayor and as chairman of the Columbus-Area Chamber of Commerce.
At the national level, Marik has served on the EconomicsAmerica Board of Directors; instructed at several national banking schools for 15 years; and spoken in more than 20 states on topics such as marketing, human resources, training, planning, and employee motivation. In addition, he has served as a banking advisor for the American Bankers Association, traveling throughout the United States on national media tours for the association.
