Organized on Feb. 22, 1887, in Topeka, the Kansas Bankers Association was one of the first five state bankers associations in the country. Fifty-six chartered members started the Association, and two of those members (First National Bank, Belleville, and First National Bank & Trust Company of Junction City) still operate under the same name and charter today. In the early 1920s, as many as 1,300 banks belonged to the Association. But by the end of the decade and throughout the Great Depression, several hundred banks would fail or merge. After World War II, the number of member banks stabilized at 600 to 650. With the onset of the severe recession of the late '80s and the advent of statewide branching by 1990, the number of charters again dropped steadily. Nevertheless, Kansas continues to rank fifth nationally with a total of 354 chartered banks today.

Throughout the Association's 118-year history, thousands of Kansas bankers have given unselfishly of their time and talents to maintain the viability of the KBA and the banking industry in Kansas. From the Association's inception, its officers, board and council members have been nominated and elected annually by the membership. Bankers from more than half of the state's 105 counties have served as KBA president renamed chairman in 2003). Several banking families have seen two generations of chairmen and one family (the Lulls of Smith Center) has provided three generations of leaders. In 2004, Kent Needham became the 115th chairman of the Association.

Many Kansas bankers that have led the Association have also held prestigious state and national offices. Two former KBA chairmen have served as governor of Kansas (W. J. Bailey, 1903-1905, and Ben Paulen, 1925-1929). Two more have served as chairman of the American Bankers Association (P.W. Goebel in 1917 and Rex Duwe in 1976), and another will take the ABA helm in 2006 (Earl McVicker). A former KBA chairman has also served as chairman of the Independent Community Bankers of America (James Harrington in 1983), and four have served as state bank commissioner (Roy Haines, Emery Fager, W. Newton Male and Clancy Norris).

Until 1906, volunteer bankers handled the administrative work of the Association. In that year, the Association hired its first full-time secretary, W. W. Bowman. His title was changed to executive vice president in 1931, and he continued in that capacity until his death in 1938. He was succeeded by his son, Fred Bowman, and Fred served as executive secretary until he was succeeded by his son, Carl Bowman, in 1961. During Carl's tenure, the title of the position was once again changed to executive vice president. When Carl retired in 1981, Harold Stones became executive vice president and served until his retirement in 1997, after 30 years with the KBA. That same year, Jim Maag took up the position, which was renamed president in 2003. After 25 years with the KBA, Jim retired in November 2004. On Dec. 1, 2004, Chuck Stones became the sixth person to hold the top administrative post of the Association.

The number of individuals working for the Association has increased over the years as more services for banks and bankers, as well as new subsidiaries, have been added. From 1999 to 2002, four subsidiary corporations were created (Kansas Bankers Services, Inc.; KBA Insurance, Inc.; Kansas Bankers Education Foundation; and KBA/Hodge & Porter, Inc.), each with a banker-based board of directors. As a result of the tremendous increase in the number of educational, legal, employee benefits and government relations services offered, the size of the KBA staff has increased to 28. Nearly 7,000 bankers from across the state attend KBA-sponsored events each year.

The offices of the KBA have always been located in Topeka since a full-time staff was authorized in 1907. The original offices were in the Mulvane Building at 6th and Kansas streets before they were moved to the Kansan Hotel in 1924. The offices remained there until a move to the new First National Bank Building in 1932. For the next 37 years, the Association conducted business at that site. In 1969, the offices were moved to the Merchants National Bank Building at 8th and Jackson streets and remained there until October 2001, when the Association dedicated its new home at 610 S.W. Corporate View in northwest Topeka.

Written by Kristin Keeney; Historical data provided by Jim Maag. 03/05