The Schools of Banking, Inc. is a non-profit corporation jointly sponsored (owned) by the Kansas and Nebraska Bankers Associations. It also enjoys partnership relationships with more than 10 other State Bankers Associations across the country. The purpose of this organization is to provide occupational education for bankers.
The Schools of Banking is one of a very few regionally cooperative efforts and is unique in its structure as a non-profit subsidiary of the state banking associations. Most state association-sponsored schools are based in the state association itself and serve only that state. The idea for the Schools of Banking was conceived in 1964 as a means of providing cost-efficient, quality education at a regional level. The bankers and state associations involved in the development of Schools of Banking had the foresight to recognize that neither Kansas nor Nebraska by itself would be able to support the schools in terms of the necessary enrollments.
As a separate non-profit entity, Schools of Banking's financial support is derived from the banks using the schools. No direct funding is received from the sponsoring state associations; however, marketing and administrative support is provided by the associations.
In the early 1980s, the American Bankers Association embarked on a major initiative called the Professional Development Program (PDP) to assist in coordinating banker education. Among other goals, this initiative involved development of curriculum to be used at certain state association-sponsored schools and a systematic delivery network for banker education at the local, state, regional and national level. For the bankers served by Schools of Banking, this delivery network included American Institute of Banking classes/programs and American Bankers Association educational programs/schools as well as the Schools of Banking schools. Although the PDP concept was abandoned by the ABA in 1996, it still continues to provide a representative outline of the systematic education delivery network in place at the Schools of Banking.
| Audience | Curriculum | Delivery |
| Entry-level employees, supervisors, and junior officers | Basic education in the:
|
LOCAL
|
| First-level officers through mid-managers |
|
STATE
|
| Department heads and other managers |
|
REGIONAL
|
| Senior managers and CEOs | Executive development in:
|
NATIONAL
|
As this chart and the following detailed descriptions of Schools of Banking offerings indicate, the Schools of Banking's primary market is first-level through department head managers.
Designed for compliance and audit personnel who monitor or manage compliance with laws and regulations, the Bank Compliance School provides the most effective compliance training available today. The curriculum includes all federal regulations covered in on-site compliance examinations by federal regulatory agencies.
Professional Bank Services, Inc. (PBS), a consulting firm for financial institutions headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, serves as the advisor for the Bank Compliance School. PBS personnel assist in developing the curriculum and producing course materials. PBS is recognized for their role in the development of curricula for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. PBS continues to serve as consultants and faculty for these agencies. The Bank Compliance School is modeled after these programs.
Two PBS consultants serve as lead faculty, instructing federal compliance modules. Mark Thomas of The Platte Valley State Bank & Trust Co in Kearney, Nebraska, serves as the School Director. Other instructors teach state-specific sessions.
The Compliance Update School is designed to provide previous years' graduates of the weeklong Bank Compliance School with an update on "hot-topics" and industry trends. All attendees are provided with a completely updated compliance manual (the same one used at the weeklong school) written by Professional Bank Services (PBS) of Louisville, Kentucky.
PBS faculty from the weeklong School instruct the Compliance Update School.
A general banking school designed for the new bank employee, management trainee, or specialized banker. The curriculum provides an understanding and appreciation for all major banking functions. The curriculum is developed by the faculty under the guidance of the Basic/General Banking Advisory Committee.
The faculty consists of active bankers and on occasion, consultants. With over 10 different subjects introduced within the curriculum, there are usually 10 or more faculty members.
The Principles of Commercial Lending School is designed for new commercial lenders and teaches foundational principles of commercial lending. Student participate in case studies, exercises and role plays.
Gary Maples, retired President, of M & I Bank in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Michael Wear of Security National Bank in Omaha, Nebraska, serve as the faculty members.
The Commercial Lending School is designed to teach lenders the commercial lending process. The School provides a very solid curriculum designed to equip intermediate lenders with the knowledge needed to understand the commercial borrower's business, analyze the key financials, structure the loan, administer the lending process and monitor repayment. This school is highly regarded because of its systematic curriculum and outstanding faculty. The curriculum follows a logical progression that parallels the loan evaluation process. The School also incorporates numerous case studies, exercises and role plays.
Michael Wear of Security National Bank in Omaha, Nebraska, serves as the faculty member.
The Commercial Lending School - 3 day option is specifically designed for graduates of the Principles of Commercial Lending School. Participants will have the opportunity to refresh and expand their commercial lending skills and knowledge. Students study understanding businesses, historical financial analysis and sensitivity analysis. It is the School's objective to provide lenders with three-days to practice commercial lending through a variety of real-life case studies.
Michael Wear of Security National Bank in Omaha, Nebraska, serves as the lead faculty member.
A comprehensive course for junior- to mid-level bankers desiring instruction in the important elements of ag lending. This week-long course provides intensive instruction on topics such as financial statement interpretation, loan structure, and credit analysis. Practical application is prevalent in this school which incorporates case studies complete with computer spreadsheet applications. Dr. David Kohl serves as the primary curriculum author.
Dr. David Kohl, a nationally recognized speaker, has served as lead instructor of this school since its inception in 1988. Dr. Kohl instructs the majority of classroom sessions. Other faculty members are hired to instruct some curriculum modules and case studies.
Designed for graduates of a weeklong Agricultural Lending School, the Advanced Agricultural Lending Graduate School was created to provide students with an in-depth perspective on the future of U.S. Agriculture, advanced ratio analysis and risk rating, monitoring of complex credits, evaluation of business expansion, problem loan identification and workout, and risk assessment.
Dr. David Kohl, a nationally recognized speaker, has served as lead instructor of this school. Generally, one additional faculty member also instructs.
This two-year, one-week per year school is designed to prepare mid-level bankers for management positions. In Year 1 bankers are introduced to a variety of subjects including advanced banking topics such as asset/liability management, investments and bank financial analysis, complemented by management classes such as personnel management and sales management. Students leave Year 1 with improved analytical, decision-making and management skills. Between Years 1 and 2 students complete three assignments to increase their familiarity with their bank's practices and to prepare for Year 2. At Year 2 students have the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained by running a bank through a realistic computer-generated simulation called BankExec. Classroom sessions at Year 2 introduce new topics, such as negotiations, ethical leadership and hot topics in regulatory compliance. Schools of Banking works with a number of recognized authors to develop the core banking curriculum for this school. This curriculum is now used by numerous other state bankers associations. Faculty members also supplement the curriculum with outlines and exhibits.
The faculty of the Advanced School of Banking generally consists of active bankers and occasionally, consultants and academicians. With over 10 subjects introduced during the school, there are usually 10 or more faculty members for Year 1. A Simulation Director (an active banker) and an Assistant Simulation Director (also an active banker) oversee the BankExec simulation at Year 2.
One of few state association-sponsored trust schools in the United States, the School of Trust & Financial Services provides bankers exposure to numerous facets of the trust business. This school is ideal for the newer trust employee, management trainee, start-up trust departments, and specialized trust personnel. The Iowa Trust Association also sponsors this school.
The faculty of the School of Trust & Financial Services generally consists of active bankers, attorneys, and on occasion, consultants. With over 10 different subjects introduced within the curriculum there are usually numerous faculty members.
Offered during odd years, the Advanced Trust Administration School is designed to provide continuing trust education, instruction on technical administration topics, information on up-to-date trends and changes in the trust field, and education appropriate for specialized trust administration personnel.
Many of the faculty from the School of Trust & Financial Services instruct at the Advanced Trust Administration School.
Offered during even years, the Advanced Trust Operations School is designed to provide continuing trust education, instruction on technical trust operations topics, information on up-to-date trends and changes in the trust field, and education appropriate for specialized trust operations personnel.
Some of the faculty from the School of Trust & Financial Services instruct at the Advanced Trust Administration School.
A basic lending school designed for lenders with specialized lending experience or less than one- to two-years general lending experience, as well as loan support personnel and personal bankers.
The curriculum provides a hands-on introduction to credit and financial principles, focusing on lending as a process with emphasis on documentation, financial statement preparation and analysis and communication.
Faculty members include: Richard Beck of STAR Financial Bank in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, who instructs Introduction to Lending, Consumer Lending and Real Estate Lending; Chris Lenz of Mesner Development Company in Central City, Nebraska, who instructs Analyzing Small Business Loans and Loan Documentation; and Tim Ohlde of The Elk State Bank in Clyde, Kansas, who instructs Agricultural Lending.
The three-day Operations School is designed to provide specialized training for individuals who are involved in and/or manage the operational functions in their banks. The School is structured to offer a comprehensive educational package targeted specifically at operations personnel.
The School faculty is comprised of experienced bankers and recognized experts in the field of bank operations. Matthew Keller, Executive Vice President & Cashier of Gardner National Bank, Gardner, Kansas, serves as the School Director.
Now more than 43 years after that first school, the Schools of Banking has served over 17,500 bankers. The years to come promise to be very exciting ones for the Schools of Banking and the bankers we serve. The Schools of Banking is fortunate to have dedicated bankers in the form of instructors, school administration, committee members and Board members who are willing to devote their energies and time toward quality banker education.