History
HISTORY OF THE KANSAS BANKERS ASSOCIATION
The Kansas Bankers Association was one of the first five state bankers associations in the country. Fifty-six chartered members started the Association, and one of those members (First National Bank & Trust Company of Junction City) still operates under the same name and charter today.
Throughout the association’s 135-year history, thousands of Kansas bankers have given unselfishly of their time and talents to maintain the viability of the KBA and the banking industry in Kansas.
KBA Leaders Lead Kansas
Many Kansas bankers who have led the association have also held prestigious state and national offices.
Two KBA past chairmen have served as governor of Kansas (W.J. Bailey, 1913–1914, from 1903 to 1905; and Ben S. Paulen, 1924–1925, from 1925 to 1929).
Three have gone on to become chairman of the American Bankers Association (P.W. Goebel, 1909–1910, from 1916–1917; J. Rex Duwe, 1972–1973, from 1976 to 1977; and Earl McVicker, 2000–2001, from 2006 to 2007).
And seven past chairmen have served as state bank commissioner (Roy A. Haines, 1939–1940; Emery E. Fager, 1980–1981; Deryl Schuster, 1985-1986; W. Newton Male, 1993–1994; Clancy Norris, 1997–1998; Ed Splichal, 1999-2000; and David Herndon, 2008-2009).
Generations of Leadership
Bankers from more than half of the state’s 105 counties have served as KBA chairmen (previously called presidents until 2003). Several banking families have seen two generations of chairmen and one family (the Lulls of Smith Center) has provided three generations of leadership (Floyd E. Lull, 1948–1949; Linton C. Lull, 1979–1980; and Murray D. Lull, 1992–1993). The first female chairman of the association was Kathleen Steward in 2004.
Changing To Serve a Changing Industry
The number of individuals working for the Association has increased over the years as more services for banks and bankers, as well as new subsidiaries, have been added. Since 1999, four subsidiary corporations have been created (Kansas Bankers Services Inc., KBA Insurance Inc., Kansas Bankers Educational Foundation, and Kansas Bankers Consulting Services, Inc.), each with a banker-based board of directors. As a result of the tremendous increase in the number of educational, legal, compliance, employee benefits and government relations services offered, the size of the KBA staff has increased to 30. Nearly 4,500 bankers and Associate Members from across the state attend live KBA-sponsored events each year.
Historical data provided by Jim Maag
Updated 7/1/2020 by KBA Staff
