Two from region to serve on ABA task force

Northwestern Financial Review, Feb 1-Feb 14, 2003

David S. Hickman, chairman and CEO of United Bank & Trust in Tecumseh, Mich., and Tom Page, president of Enterprise Bank in Wichita, Kan., are among the 15 bankers who are forming a task force to examine corporate governance issues. The task force, sponsored by the American Bankers Association, met on Nov. 26 and it is scheduled to meet again this month.

"We want the task force to determine what the ABA can do to help banks through new laws, regulations and industry practices," said Donald Ogilvie, ABA president. "It will also take into account the wide variety of banks - including those that are publicly traded and those that are not in addressing new approaches to corporate governance and regulation."

The task force is addressing several issues, such as the make-up and roles of boards of directors and board committees, the definition of "independent" directors, and the potential extension of the law by regulators to non-publicly traded banks. The group will address corporate governance by working with regulators, bankers and legislators.

"I am very pleased that James C. Smith, chairman and CEO of Webster Financial and Webster Bank and a former member of ABA's board, has agreed to chair the ABA Corporate Governance Task Force," commented Aubrey Patterson, ABA chairman.

The task force also will seek input from bankers to determine what products or services ABA should provide to help them and their board with their individual approaches to corporate governance.