WASHINGTON — The American Bankers Association Foundation is requesting submissions for its annual Community Commitment Awards to recognize banks’ essential involvement in their communities.
The awards will honor innovative, high impact bank programs that improve the quality of life for the customers and communities they serve. The entry period will extend to June 30.
Now in its fifth year, the Community Commitment Awards have honored banks for efforts ranging from establishing bilingual service centers to providing personal finance courses for local Boy Scout troops.
First Financial Bank of Abilene, Texas, a 2015 Community Commitment Award winner in the protecting older Americans category, was recognized for its Financial Exploitation Education Program, which trained customers and bank employees to spot signs of elder financial abuse.
“Receiving a Community Commitment Award was one of the greatest honors our bank has earned,” said Scott Dueser, president and CEO of First Financial Bank. “We believe it reflects our commitment to our customers and to improving the quality of life in the communities we serve.”
Banks of all asset sizes are eligible to enter and submissions will be judged by a panel of nationally recognized experts. The ABA Community Commitment Awards for 2017 will recognize excellence in seven categories:
- Affordable Housing;
- Community and Economic Development;
- Economic Inclusion;
- Financial Education;
- Protecting Older Americans;
- Volunteerism; and
- The George Bailey Award, for non-CEO bank employees who demonstrate outstanding service to their bank, industry and community.
For full category descriptions, please click here.
Award winners will be recognized in a ceremony during ABA’s Annual Convention in Chicago, Oct. 15-17. All awardees will receive a complimentary registration to the convention.
All Community Commitment Award entries will be displayed on the ABA Foundation’s “Banks in Their Communities” map – an interactive, searchable map on aba.com that showcases all program entries by state. The map serves as a database for corporate social responsibility efforts across the industry.
For an entry form or a list of past winners, visit aba.com/awards. For more information, contact Melissa Murray at mmurray@aba.comor 202-663-5440.