Last week, CBA conducted two editorial board meetings with the UT-San Diego and the Orange County Register. These meetings, organized by CBA VP of Communications Beth Mills, and led by CBA President and CEO Rod Brown with participation from local CBA member bank leadership, were excellent opportunities for California’s industry leaders to interface with the editorial board staff (those who determine the direction of the newspaper’s opinion page) and discuss issues of concern to the industry and consumers, and communicate the positive role their bank plays in the localcommunity. The meetings covered a wide range of topics including the increased regulatory pressures and the current operating environment for California banks, small business lending opportunities, the overall economic health of California, credit unions and the importance of financial literacy. CBA would like to acknowledge and thank the following bankers and executives who joined us for the meetings: Rick Sanborn, Seacoast Commerce Bank; Scott Parker, Vibra Bank; Jeff Ball, Friendly Hills Bank, Mark Simmons, Commerce National Bank; Mike Helmuth, American Security Bank and Ed Carpenter from Carpenter & Company.

Last month CBA met with the editorial boards from the Sacramento Bee and Los Angeles Times, and an upcoming editorial board meeting with the San Francisco Chronicle is scheduled for June 19.