Case Study — Indiana Bankers Association
ABOUT
Dedicated to strengthening the banking climate in Indiana, the IBA is the only banking trade association in the state; creating a unified voice and unified representation for banks in the Indiana General Assembly and in Washington DC. They provide products and services to smaller banks through negotiation and volume purchasing from vendors, as well as educational opportunities for the banking community.

I was so pleased with my leadership development experience that I wanted my entire executive team to experience the same process – assessment, team development and coaching from CHORUS.
Amber Van Til
CEO, Indiana Bankers Association
Challenge
A long-serving CEO was retiring and the board had selected a new CEO. They needed help working through the transition successfully, equipping the new CEO in her efforts to further grow the association in a healthy way. It’s not easy to innovate and maintain a strong dues paying membership in a dynamic banking industry affected by frequent mergers and acquisitions.
According to COO Rod Lasley, “The IBA itself merged with another association, and we had some walls and silos beneath the surface that needed to be broken down for us to be successful.”
Solution
A client recommended CHORUS to the incoming president, Amber Van Til. She hired and relied on CHORUS to develop her as a leader, including a data-driven assessment of her strengths and ongoing coaching throughout the two-year transition.

Our team is much more collaborative, much more focused and much more aware.
Dax Denton
Chief Policy Officer, Indiana Bankers Association
Our team is much more collaborative, much more focused and much more aware.
Dax Denton
Chief Policy Officer, Indiana Bankers Association

As with many clients, CHORUS developed a long-term relationship that included follow-on services. In addition to assisting with the succession, they continued with leadership and team development over several years, helping the team gain new insights and get to their next-level-of-best.
CHORUS conducted several leadership retreats that provided a well-equipped environment for everyone to open-up and speak their ideas.
CHORUS then expanded to Strategic Planning and execution support for the entire association. They developed a three-year plan that provided a robust, visionary plan for the future. It had a positive impact on IBA’s ability to grow, helped them to be proactive and to stay focused with competing priorities.

The personality of the consultants from CHORUS really allowed us to speak openly. They were so friendly and welcoming that it forced people with barriers to take those barriers down, and for ideas to flourish organically.
Ross Teare
VP Government Relations, Indiana Bankers Association
Highlights of the Engagement Included:
- The association has grown in membership and legislative influence
- Reaping rewards of smooth succession and long-term strategic planning
- Individual and team examples of successful development and coaching
CHORUS Services:
- Strategic Assessment
- Strategic Planning
- Succession Planning
- Leadership Development
- Team Development
- Executive Coaching
Results
The association has grown in membership and influence in a tough macro environment. They have scored many legislative wins and are set up for success no matter what industry challenges arise. CHORUS recently completed their second three-year Strategic Plan for the IBA.

Their services are very detailed, very thorough, and very successful. Of all the strategic planning processes that I’ve been through in my 17 years, CHORUS has definitely been the best.
Rod Lasley
COO, Indiana Bankers Association
Their services are very detailed, very thorough, and very successful. Of all the strategic planning processes that I’ve been through in my 17 years, CHORUS has definitely been the best.
Rod Lasley
COO, Indiana Bankers Association

Next Steps
The IBA continues to engage CHORUS for ongoing services, including execution support, training and development. They are also on call for advisory services around strategy and leadership for the CEO as needs arise.