Camden R. Fine is president and CEO of the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), a national trade association representing the interests of nearly 7,000 community banks of all sizes and charter types. ICBA has member banks in every state and territory in the United States.
A native Missourian and career community banker, Fine came to ICBA in May 2003 as president-elect and became president and CEO in March 2004. Prior to coming to ICBA, Fine chartered and organized Midwest Independent Bank of Jefferson City, Mo., and served as its president and CEO for nearly 20 years. In addition, Fine owned Mainstreet Bank of Ashland, Mo., a $50-million-asset community bank. Fine also has a strong background in government. In 1978, he joined the Missouri state government as a budget analyst under then Governor Joe Teasdale, and in 1981 former governor Christopher “Kit” Bond appointed Fine as the Director of the State Division of Taxation.
Under Fine’s leadership, ICBA has had a string of legislative and regulatory successes. In 2007, ICBA was the prime force in stopping Wal-Mart’s attempts to charter a commercial bank. More recently, Fine’s advocacy efforts have been successful in the enactment of many core ICBA policy positions during the recent financial crisis. These achievements include permanently raising deposit insurance levels to $250,000; broadening the deposit-insurance assessment base, saving community banks billions in insurance assessments in future years; enacting meaningful new restraints on too-big-to-fail institutions; and carving out community banks from several new fees and examinations in consumer-protection legislation.
Fine was educated at the Virginia Military Institute and the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he double-majored in history and English. He is a distinguished graduate and past chairman of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Fine’s thesis, titled “Banker’s Banks: A Correspondent Alternative for Community Banks,” was published and included in the Harvard Business School library. He currently serves on several industry boards and committees as well as on the President’s Committee of the World Savings Bank Institute headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Fine has been a passionate advocate for community bank issues for more than 20 years and has been featured and had opinion pieces published in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today and The Hill newspapers.Fine has made numerous appearances as guest host on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” and has been featured on CNN, MSNBC, Fox Business News, Bloomberg, PBS and NPR. He has been recognized by The Hill newspaper and CEO Update as one of Washington, D.C.’s most effective and influential trade association CEO’s and lobbyists for five consecutive years.
Finer Points 
Dear Mr Fine,
I so enjoy reading all of your posts, articles, etc. You certainly help me to grasp the many issues that are so important to community banking and to me as an individual. I am grateful for your efforts.
Respectfully, Pam Pliler, Summit Bank, Eugene, OR
A Bloomberg story caught my attention early this morning. According to Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank, Fannie and Freddie Bond Holders shouldn’t assume the government will make them whole on their investments.
He went on to say a “whole range of options is being considered” for investors in Fannie and Freddie, “from paying nothing to a haircut to whatever”.
Was he serious? That is one of the best ways I can think of to create a little bond market panic.
I am curious as to what your thoughts are.
Thanks for all your great efforts for the community banks.
Steve
You are right about some bond market panic. The big money sees this coming too. Referencing the news in Greece today we can see we have a global problem at hand.
The total debt market (muni’s, corporates, and Fed obligations) is 2.5 times the size of all listed stocks.
Total debt almost exceeds GDP now. I expect a global currency devaluation is in the making. Almost everyone is used to living beyond means and that cannot continue.
Troubled times are ahead for all.
Rob West
Senior Financial Strategist
Mr. Fine:
I attended my first ICBA national conference this past week and really enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about the ICBA and to personally hear your passion. Your fire came through clearly in the presentation and your comments and I welcome this enthusiasm for our industry.
I look forward to learning more about how ICBA can help Countybank.
Cam,
I hope you are okay with me addressing you the way they do on CNBC.
When will we hear from you next? As a non-member of the ICBA, I just found your blog, but I have been watching the bailouts and financial reform unfold for the past several months. One thing is clear, big banks have been given a special bailout pass, while small banks have been stuck with the bill.
When will things be equal? Will small businesses ever get access to adequate credit? America was built on community banking and its citizens need to be reminded of this.
Thanks,
David
Cam,
I caught your cameo on Kudlow last night. I find it a shame you have and your oganization have not come out against FINREG. You have sold out and are not doing the industry you represent any favors.
Thanks but no thanks,
jpl
Dear Mr. Fine,
Saw you on Squawk box a while ago speaking of the demise of Glass-Steagal; and the consequences 8 years later…thought that was great. Is it true the banking lobby spent 300 million to get that law repealed ? And I believe senator phil graham chaired the committee involved ?
Curious as to how you see our economy playing out in the next year or two ?
Best regards,
jw
I was a Kansas City Fed economist in the late 1990s, and did quite a bit of work with the community bankers in the Midwest. Your oped today is RIGHT ON! Unfortunately, Washington DC is in the pockets of the big banks on Wall Street, whether its the Democrats or the Republicans. Keep fighting the good fight.
Russell Lamb
Dear Mr. Fine,
I want to thank you for your recent article appearing in the Washington Post. You succinctly stated in everyday, common
sense language a major concern of mine. I am convinced that
our national money and debt policies are forcing the nation into
the next recession, before we get out of the one that began in
late 2007.
Again, thank you
Joe Arrington
Stone Mountain, GA
I was pleased to see that Fannie Mae may be able to repay taxapayers soon in terms of repaying the “net investment” that taxpayers have made in Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae may soon be able to eliminate the “valuation account” related to their DTAs, record those DTAs as earnings, and sweep those earnings to US Treasury as a dividend on the senior preferred stock. Once taxpayers are paid back in terms of net investment,
Fannie Mae should restore the dividends on the “junior” preferred stock. ICBA members are major holders of GSE preferreds and this has been an important issue for ICBA. I look forward to your continued vigilance on this issue.
Cam, Please support HR1673 which ends the net worth sweep at Fannie and Freddie.