Pub. 8 2019 Issue 4

9 w i n t e r | 2019 F E A T U R E Monday morning was Bill Bojan with CLA, who discussed three important aspects of healthy bank governance for the c- suite and board members. These included strategic alignment and execution, risk management and risk-informed decision making and board governance and oversight. All three are imperative for a bank’s current and future success. Immediately following the Business Session, attend- ees gathered outside on the grounds of the Williamsburg Inn for a barbeque luncheon al fresco. The afternoon was warm, and guests had a great time dining and relaxing with peers. It was an excellent way to get outside and enjoy a warm, fall afternoon. Our evening activities began with the Chairman’s recep- tion. Our theme this year was “all about Virginia” and we wanted to celebrate all things Virginian, including our Chair- man, Brian Plum. We stressed that our Monday night event was a casual affair and asked that all attendees come dressed for a relaxing evening. We were pleased to see how everyone embraced our Virginia celebration theme for this year’s con- vention. It was like attending a big neighborhood party! Our Chairman’s dinner was a Virginia-themed culinary masterpiece! The Chef at The Lodge put together a menu that featured all the great foods Virginia is known for, and this dinner buffet did not disappoint! Attendees visited various stations and were treated to country ham, peanut soup, crab bisque and so much more! As we continued our block party vibe, the décor for the evening was casual and relaxed and featured events that occurred both inside and out. From our trivia game and DJ, to singing karaoke, to our fire pits, cigar bar and outside games, the evening was all about fun and fel- lowship as we celebrated our 2019 Chairman, Brian Plum. Tuesday’s breakfast gave attendees the chance to hear timely commentary. Scott Hildenbrand, Sandler O’Neill + Partners, addressed balance sheet strategies that every board member and the senior management team should consider in any rate environment. From breakfast, attendees gathered for the second business session where ICBA Chairman-Elect Noah Wilcox shared his passion for community banking and his leadership activities with ICBA. Our second segment was a panel that addressed cybersecurity from multi-faceted perspectives. Our experts included an attorney, a bank direc- tor, an IT professional, an insurance executive and a cyber industry professional, all of whom have solid experience in the cyber arena. They shared their knowledge as well as answered audience questions. The Business Session ended with Greyson Tuck telling “community bank tales from the road.” Greyson shared stories of community banks from across the country which ranged from the interesting to the less than brilliant. It was a humorous look at what to and sometimes what not to do. A couple of the vignettes had listeners scratching their heads trying to make sense of various activities these bankers had been involved in. Our convention concluded with the YHB Grand Prize Drawing, where one lucky banker won one of several prize choices shipped to their home. Our big winner at this year’s convention was Gregg Gordon, Benchmark Community Bank. Brian Plum, in his last act as Chairman, declared the 42nd Annual Convention of VACB convened and wished all a safe trip home. He also urged everyone to make plans now to at- tend the fall convention at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center, in October of 2020.