Denys Alexander prefers a bank and a chapter that get up close and personal

RMA Journal, The, Sept, 2005 by Carol McGinn

California in 1965 conjures images of radicalism and flower power. In Stockton, California, however, the Bank of Agriculture & Commerce opened its doors with old-fashioned community banking ideals that continue to this day. Denys Alexander, bank vice president and Central Valley Chapter Education Chair, likes that just fine.

Alexander, who has worked at larger institutions, enjoys the "home-grown feeling" of a small, privately held bank with just 10 branches. "We have an old-fashioned dedication to our customers along with state-of-the-art technology. It's a great blend," she says. Alexander says the Bank of Agriculture & Commerce's structure and philosophy perfectly match what she was looking for in a bank. "We use a team approach, which I believe in," she adds. "Here, each customer's team includes everyone from the CEO to the relationship manager."

A small bank also has the advantage of customizing its loan products to each customer, says Alexander, who sees each loan from the start and performs her own credit analysis. "I think this gives me a better handle on my customer," she adds. "Sure, it might be more time efficient to use a credit analyst, but performing my own analyses helps me to know my loan portfolio better and to better understand the risks to the bank."

Alexander applies the same "hands-on" approach to her involvement with RMA. She has been a member since 1996, although she attended meetings well before then, and says that "when several of us were approached by the Sacramento Chapter and RMA's western regional executive about starting our own chapter, we readily accepted the challenge."

Under the leadership of its first president, Bud Bensley [William S. Bensley, AgCredit of California], the fledgling chapter won a Gold Star the first year it was active.

Alexander credits the chapter's success to "a tremendous board that works together to reach common goals." In addition, nearly every chapter member's bank is represented on the board. This degree of representation "protects us from losing a number of members should banks merge or be acquired. Continuity is a crucial element to any board's well being," she says.

The board is further diversified and strengthened by a membership that includes chief credit officers, a representative from a title company, an attorney, and a CPA. Monthly breakfast meetings are held at a central location, and any member unable to attend in person can participate by conference call. In addition to its regular meetings, the chapter offers about 10 Mentor courses, RMA's Lending Academy, an Annual State of Agriculture event, a new credit professionals event, and an annual golf tournament that benefits a chapter-funded college scholarship for business majors.

When asked about the benefits of RMA, both personally and professionally, Alexander responds with a laugh, "What haven't I gotten from RMA? On a professional level, RMA has helped me fine-tune my public speaking, organizational, and volunteer management skills. I've developed an extensive network of individuals I can call on at any time for assistance. And I've made wonderful friends through RMA. I'd say the list of benefits for me is endless!"

McGinn is a Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania-based freelance writer and desktop publisher specializing in financial and business topics.