The American Bankers Association (ABA) and the National Bankers Association (NBA) today announced that the organizations have joined together in a strategic partnership to promote the health and well-being of minority depository institutions (MDIs). This partnership will build on existing membership overlap and enable NBA and ABA members to work collaboratively on a variety of initiatives including policy coordination, expanding NBA member access to ABA’s training and education programs, and enhancing participation in the U.S. Treasury Department’s Mentor-Protégé program for MDIs.
“The National Bankers Association has a long and rich history of serving minority banks, and we are honored to strengthen our ties with NBA at this important moment for our industry,” said ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols. “This strategic partnership will allow our organizations to work together to achieve our shared and important goal of promoting the advancement and growth of minority banking institutions.”
“The National Bankers Association has been the voice of minority banking since 1927. This partnership will enable current NBA members and those who join us in the future to fully engage in ABA’s industry-leading products and services while putting more focus on minority banking needs. This effort will be mutually beneficial to both organizations and the industry,” said Kenneth Kelly, Chairman of the NBA. “We are pleased to join together with ABA to advance the work of minority depository institutions to help ensure that every community in the country has access to modern banking services.”
As part of the strategic partnership, ABA will encourage its member banks to join NBA as affiliate members. More information on the NBA and its affiliate program can be found here.