Taking the reigns: Bank of Zachary President and CEO Preston Kennedy has been elected at-large director of the Independent Community Bankers of America for 2012-13. ICBA says it’s the only national trade association dedicated exclusively to promoting the interests of locally operated community banks and savings institutions. Kennedy has served in many leadership roles for the group. In 2008, he was elected state director, and was re-elected for a second three-year term in 2011. He’s also served on a number of committees and directors boards. “Community banks are local job creators that serve a key role in helping their local economies grow and prosper, and I couldn’t be prouder to be part of this great industry,” Kennedy says.
Checks and balances: The seven members of President Barack Obama’s National Oil Spill Commission have formed a new organization to monitor the progress of the government and industry as it works to implement safety recommendations they made in January 2011. President Obama established the Oil Spill Commission in 2010, shortly after the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, to examine both its root causes and recommend options for guarding against and mitigating the impacts of future oil spills associated with offshore drilling. The newly created Oil Spill Commission Action plans to issue its first report card on Congress, the administration and industry next month, around the second anniversary of the spill.
A satisfied citizenry: Of 190 U.S. metro areas surveyed by Gallup, Lafayette is No. 2 when it comes to optimism among its residents. With 75.8% of its residents saying the city is becoming a better place to live, Lafayette trailed No. 1 Provo, Utah, by just 0.2 percentage points in the survey. Baton Rouge did not make the top 10, nor did any other Louisiana metro. Overall, more than eight in 10 Americans tell Gallup they’re satisfied with their community, and half say their city is becoming a better place to live. See the full list here.
