ICBA chair wants lobbying to embrace youth movement

Community banking would be substantially better off if bankers in their 20s or 30s understood that there's more to the industry than what occurs as part of their day-to-day jobs, because these insights may just lead them to become "bankers for life." That's the opinion of 44-year-old Lucas White as he draws near to the conclusion of his year as chair of the Independent Community Bankers of America. .White will conclude his one-year term as ICBA chair at the association's annual convention, March 11-14 in Nashville. Jack Hopkins, president and CEO of CorTrust Bank in Mitchell, S.D. is the current ICBA chair-elect..White, a fourth-generation banker and president of Covington Trust Company in Covington, Ind., was in his mid-20s when he joined his first ICBA committee. "I got involved with the Indiana Bankers early on," he said. "It's really been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.".One year ago as he accepted the chair's gavel at the ICBA's annual convention in Orlando, White made it one of his goals to get more bankers involved in advocacy, bankers in all age groups. "I've always thought [advocacy] is one of the critically important things that we do and, and we need more community bankers to do it," he said. .The most common hurdle keeping senior executives from making their own case to lawmakers is carving out the necessary time, both for the visits and to get up-to-speed in advance of those visits. White gets it. In 2024, he was away from his home for 95 days. "Some of those were weekends," he clarified. White credits his management team, most of whom have been on lobbying trips in the past, for allowing him to remain effective in both his public and private roles. But the challenges that time constraints present are real, especially given that White and his wife are raising three sons, ages 13, 11 and 6..Early- to-mid-career bankers aren't aware that lobbying as an activity exists because they've not been exposed to it, White said. "Maybe their boss doesn't see it as a priority or they simply don't know it's an option for them," he said. "To that group, I always say 'Ask. The worst they can tell you is no.'".Yet White went into his year as chair hoping more people would say "yes." Last spring he pledged to immerse any banker willing to try in the fine art of lobbying. To that end, the ICBA came up with a plan to encourage members to "Lobby with Lucas."."If people have never lobbied, sometimes they are nervous and don't really know what to do or where to start," White said. "I was very lucky when I was a young banker; there was a core group of five or six bankers from Indiana who took me under their wing and really taught me how to lobby.".White's idea was to pay that forward. In 2024, he accompanied a banker from New Jersey to ICBA's Capital Summit, which had a record number of first-timers, more than 100..The key to successfully lobbying, White said, was to put together a game plan and know the lawmakers' positions on issues before going in. "If they support you, thank them," he said. When facing lawmakers who oppose the issues that are important to bankers, people get 30 minutes, at most, to try to change their minds. "So don't socialize for 20 of those 30 minutes," he advised. .A better use of time than rattling off talking points is to tell a story that demonstrates how a law or proposal will make the bank less effective and will negatively impact customers, White said. And if all you get is time with a staff person instead of the lawmaker, take it, he advised. "It surprises bankers sometimes to realize that the staff is very influential on the representative or senator. "They serve as conduits to relay important details so it's really important that they understand and support our position.".And those staffers are typically young, and possibly more relatable to a younger cohort of bankers during a lobbying visit, making the presence of next-gen banking leaders in those rooms all the more critical, White believes. .White cited an example from the past, when lawmakers were considering regulatory relief that came packaged as SB 2155. "My senator at the time was Joe Donnelly and he was on the Senate Banking Committee. His staffer, Nick Catino, was someone I talked to for a few years in a row and I'd gotten to know him. One day I was sitting at home and my cell phone rang with a Washington, D.C., number. I had no idea who it was, and I almost didn't answer it. Well, it was Nick Catino, and he called to say, 'Hey. We're working on this bill with some reg relief for community banks. What would you like to see in the bill?'."The only reason that phone call happened is because I had gotten to know not only my senator, but also his staffer in charge of the banking issues.".White was in his late 30s at that time, yet he already understood the importance of getting to know legislative staff. "Oftentimes when the staff is in their 20s, if they can talk to a banker who's in their 20s or 30s, they're going to relate to that person a lot better than somebody who is much older," White said.."Even today when I'm 44, I always make it a point to speak to the staff member and get to know them as well as the [lawmaker] because they are absolutely key in making things happen.".Plus, those lobbying trips allow insights that younger bankers miss out on if they don't leave their banks or towns. "When you go to DC, and you hear about all the different issues, that's when I've seen people realize the impact to community banking in their community extends beyond what they do in their day-to-day jobs."