Pub. 8 2018 Issue 2

12 www.azbankers.org In 2017, the association created its own “Emerging Leaders” program designed to prepare future banking executives. The program saw 20 bankers finish and earn certificates this year. Another 23 are already enrolled, and they are still taking reservations. Economic predictions for Arizona and the U.S. remain strong, and the need for an educated workforce possessing the skills and training that meet the current and future demands are critical to continued prosperity. We still have a long way to go, but we can feel confident the necessary steps are being taken by the Arizona Bankers Association to broaden the industry from a workforce perspective and to give businesses the capital they need to expand with the economy. The keynote address at the Friday evening dinner was given by former Republican Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, a presidential candidate in 2012 and 2016 who currently is a contributor for CNN. Santorum provided insight into the current conditions in Washington as well as some thought-provoking comments and predictions. The Arizona Bankers Association held its 115th annual convention last month in Sedona, and the good news is the state’s banking industry is healthy. One of the overarching convention themes was workforce development. Many businesses in Arizona have struggled finding the right employees, and the banking industry is no exception to those issues. The banking workforce challenges stem from the recession, when recruitment for new bankers was almost non- existent. Workforce development concerns led bankers to invite Arizona State University President Michael Crow to share what the Tempe-based university is doing to prepare the “universal learner” and the next generation for the occupations needed within Arizona, the U.S. and throughout the world. “Dr. Crow keenly understands the necessity of an educated and skilled workforce for growing a state, regional and national economy in a sustainable way,” said Arizona Bankers Association President and CEO Paul Hickman. “Particularly, in an era where the quickening pace of technological advancement is fundamentally altering the need for traditional professional and non-professional skillsets.”