The leaders of the National Banker’s Association convened in Puerto Rico.
By Adoria Doucette
Photos Courtesy of Belmar Photo Studio. Hato Rey, Puerto Rico
Joe Haskins, President Harbor Bank, Baltimore, MD. Louie Prezeau, President City National Bank, New Jersey. Tony James, Senior VP of the Independent Community Bankers Association
On October 6th, the nation’s leading top minority bankers convened in San Juan, Puerto Rico for the 83rd National Bankers Association conference titled “Building Momentum and Preserving Minority Banks”. Led by their incoming Chairman, Washingtonian B. Doyle Mitchell President & CEO of Industrial Bank. The group of bankers mapped out how to thrive in their respective markets to ensure that the newfound momentum of minority banks play a key part in the next great economic chapter of the United States. The leaders of the NBA gathered to determine how to best provide the initiative and leadership that local communities around the nation desperately seek from those with financial power.
The energy throughout the conference was definitely one of historical significance. Recently The Small Business Lending Fund was signed by President Obama and holds opportunity for minority banking institutions to invigorate black finance in a way never before possible. The purpose of the fund is to stimulate small business activity especially within our nation’s most impoverished neighborhoods, most of which are represented by banks that are members of the National Bankers Association.
Speaker Donald P. Cogsville, CEO of the Cogsville Group, New York, NY
Samuel Golden, Former Ombudsman, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) Sandra Thompson, Director, Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection, FDIC
Matthew Kabaker, Deputy Assistant Secretary Department of Treasury
Dr. T.B. Boyd III., RH Boyd Publishing Company - Chairman of the Board of Citizens Bank, Nashville, TN. Citizens is the oldest African American owned bank in the nation, founded by Dr. Boyd's great grandfather in 1912.
In 1924 a lavish dinner was held at the New York Civic Club in order to introduce talented yet widely unknown black authors to prominent national publishers and magazine editors. What followed was decades of the expansion of black cultural influence and financial prosperity. Widely known as the “Harlem Renaissance”, this period emerged following that single dinner between talent and capital which created a historical period for minority affluence and American culture in general. Power Source is convinced that the strategic vision and progress from the NBA’s San Juan conference has the potential to be even more important and influential than the meeting that began the Harlem Renaissance. The vast amount of capital represented at the conference exhibited a commitment to create public-private partnerships that will lead to smart growth for communities across America.
US Senator Roland Burris championed the passage of the Small Business Lending Fund in the US Senate along with Senator Mary Landrieu. Senator Burris was represented at the NBA conference by his senior advisor, Kenneth Sawyer, who delivered remarks at the conference gala on behalf of the Senator.
B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr. President and CEO Industrial Bank, Chairman NBA. Michael Grant, President NBA. Kenneth Sawyer, Senior Advisor to US Senator Roland Burris
Sandra Thompson, Director, Division of Supervision and Consumer Protection, FDIC
Economic viability is the primary civil rights issue of the day. It is only natural for the rebirth of our culture’s greatest strengths to emerge with assistance from minority bankers with a passion and zeal as fresh and substantive as the content and character of the principal architects of our last renaissance. Power Source commends the past, current and future leadership of the National Bankers Association for their commitment to financial progress for all Americans.
Steve Holt, President, One World Bank Dallas Texas, Marie Johns, Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator and Eugene Cornelius, Director Small Business Administration
Cash America donated $25,000 to the NBA Foundation, which has made financial literacy a top priority. Kevin Kimble, VP & Counsel for Federal Affairs, for Cash America Intl., Victor Cook, Executive Director of NBA Foundation, Robert Cooper, Former Chairman, NBA
National Bankers Association Conference Volunteer Staff
- B. Doyle Mitchell, Jr. President and CEO Industrial Bank, Chairman NBA, Michael Grant, President NBA, Robert Cooper, Former Chairman NBA
