"We are trying to leverage Hawaii not as a destination, but rather as a starting point," says Maura Matzko, ABA's group director responsible for the association's annual convention program. Thus, the 1,000 bankers expected at Honolulu, Hawaii, for the Banking Industry Forum & ABA Convention on Oct. 5-8 should prepare themselves for more than "R&R."
The convention sports a three-pronged approach to each day's activities.
Business and media personalities will head daily feature presentations
that delve into issues beyond the banking arena. Industry leaders
will conduct strategic sessions that offer insights into financial
services issues. Finally, practical sessions will offer nuts-and-bolts
techniques that can be applied to the real world. Here's how the
program shapes up day by day.
On Saturday, Oct. 5, Larry King of CNN's Larry King Live will kick off the convention with a view of the political landscape this election year. He will moderate "Decision '96," which will include discussions with U.S. presidential candidates. Bob Dole and Bill Clinton have been invited to participate via satellite.
Two strategic sessions follow. In the first, senior executives
from Netscape Communications Corp. address questions concerning
the future of electronic commerce. In the second, Eugene A. Ludwig,
Comptroller of the Currency, Ricki Helfer, chairman of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corp., and Alan Greenspan, chairman of the Federal
Reserve Board, will share their perspectives on the banking environment.
Sunday, Oct. 6, begins with the convention's traditional Fellowship Gathering, which will be led by Scott F. O'Grady, a captain in the U.S. Air Force. O'Grady will speak about his ordeal as a downed pilot in the former Yugoslavia.
Afterwards, James M. Culberson, Jr., ABA president and chairman of the board of First National Bank & Trust Co., Asheboro, N.C., will give the presidential address and new ABA officers will be nominated and elected.
Following Culberson's address, the ABA Payment Systems Task Force,
which covers legal and regulatory issues concerning the payment
system, will discuss their findings and how they could affect
future policy decisions.
On Monday, Oct. 7, general session speakers will offer a look at competition in the global marketplace and trends in international banking, business, and technology.
In one strategic session, Thomas K. Brown, senior vice-president
of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, will unveil his latest study,
The Future of Banking, Part III. In a second strategic session,
Fortune 500 CEO will talk about what it takes to be a leader in
today's corporate world.
Tuesday, Oct. 8, concludes the annual convention. Martha Rogers,
coauthor of The One to One Future, will describe how to acquire
customers first, then the products to satisfy them.
Practical sessions will be scattered throughout the conference. These sessions are divided into five categories on opportunities, productivity, sales effectiveness, profitability, and risk management. The sessions will cover such issues as:
If that sounds like all work and no play in a tropical paradise,
take note: Business sessions end at 2:45 p.m. each day allowing
ample time to catch rays or waves or local wares for those who
can't take a pre- or post-convention hiatus.
The CEOs of ABA-member community banks have the opportunity to participate in the Peer Group Program on Friday, Oct. 4. The program is now in its fourth year and serves as a forum for community banks (assets less than $500 million). More than 120 community bank CEOs have participated in these sessions in the past, and for first-time attendees the $595 annual membership fee will be waived, but those participants will be responsible for their share of meals and accommodations.
Spouses and relatives will get the chance to experience the Hawaiian
culture, history, and ecology in various sessions and tours held
throughout the conference.
Registration fees are $795 for ABA members, $1,095 for nonmembers, and $395 for spouses or relatives. A discounted fee of $695 is offered for three or more registrants from an ABA member bank.
Register by phone by calling 1-800-424-5249 or by fax by dialing
1-800-521-6017. Be sure to have VISA or Mastercard payment information
ready. Bankers wishing to participate in the Peer Group Program
can call Cathrine Nelson Fisk at (202) 663-5125 or Melissa Cabocel
at (202) 663-5121.
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