Banner Image – I liked how you shortened it by width.  However, the image itself still looks too big – almost like it still takes up half of the page.

How about this – shortening the image by width a little more (right margin would end at about where the word “FM (in RE/FM)” is; left margin would end at about in front of the symbol next to “CONFERENCES”.  Of course you this all will have to be measured so both sides are equal in distance.)

Then reduce the banner image size by length (top and bottom).