Hopkins continues as ICBSD leader

Northwestern Financial Review, Aug 5, 2000 by Olmsted, Monte

Sioux Falls banker Jack Hopkins was asked to serve a second year as president of the Independent Community Bankers of South Dakota after one of the group's leaders left the industry and another was hired away by Hopkins' bank.

Hopkins, executive vice president of Mitchell-based CorTrust Bank, was named to his second presidential term July 27-29 at the ICBSD's annual retreat in the Black Hills near Custer.

Last year, he stepped into the ICBSD leadership role for Jim Hopkins, who at the time was president of Commercial Trust & Savings Bank in Mitchell. Jim Hopkins, who is not related, was scheduled to become the 1999-2000 president. However, his bank was in the midst of being sold, so he chose not to become president.

Instead, Jim Hopkins remained ICBSD's president-elect for a second year, and Jack Hopkins, an ICBSD director, took over the leadership from Bob Laird of Hand County State Bank in Miller. The intention was for Jim Hopkins to become president this year.

But in November of last year, Commercial Trust & Savings was purchased by Yankton-based First National Bank South Dakota and, soon after, Jim Hopkins left the banking industry. The development meant that the ICBSD's secretary, Lynn Peterson of Farmers State Bank in Humboldt, would become its president for 2000-2001.

But hold on. Last winter, Peterson left the Humboldt bank and joined CorTrust Bank-Jack Hopkins' institution. Now, the No. 2 and No. 3 ICBSD posts were vacant, so Jack Hopkins was asked to remain the group's leader, and he obliged.

"I didn't think that it would be fair that back-to-back leaders come from the same organization. The [ICBSD] board needs lots of diversity and different opinions," Jack Hopkins said of the possibility of Peterson succeeding him.

With all the shuffling completed, the ICBSD named its new leaders for this year. Besides Hopkins, they include: president-elect, Jeff Eitreim of The First National Bank in Sioux Falls; vice president, Rod Domke of Heartland State Bank in Highmore, and treasurer, David Ebbers, president of Reliabank Dakota in Estelline.

This year, the ICBSD will focus on liquidity issues, FDIC insurance coverage levels, alternative sources of money through the Farm Credit Administration and expanding Federal Home Loan Bank borrowing ability, Hopkins said.

The agriculture industry also will get extra attention.

Problems in agriculture remain a concern as some areas of South Dakota have suffered from drought, while others have received excessive moisture, noted Hopkins, Northwestern Financial Review's 2000 rising star banker from South Dakota.

"We have some concern with the prices, and we're going to help formulate the upcoming farm bill because Freedom to Farm expires in 2001," said Hopkins. "So there will be new farm legislation that needs to be worked on between now and then. Hopefully, we can mold that."

In addition, the ICBSD will work on expanding its educational programs, perhaps through use of videoconferencing.

Jack Hopkins was recently named a Rising Star' in banking by Northwester,n Financial Review.

See the fine 17 issue try read about Hopkins' career in banking.