WASHINGTON, D.C. – ICBA and its nearly 5,000 community bank members promoted the benefits of local banking this April as part of ICBA Community Banking Month. ICBA met with leaders in Washington and partnered with the Farmers Market Coalition to help encourage businesses and customers to make a hometown investment in community banks.
“Community banks help area families achieve financial stability, while also driving small business lending in their communities—all of which helps their local economy and community to thrive,” said Bill Loving, ICBA chairman and president and CEO of the Pendleton Community Bank in Franklin, West Virginia. “Throughout the month of April, our goal is to celebrate the unique role that community banks serve in our nation’s economic system while helping to educate consumers and small business owners about the benefits of banking locally with their community banks.”
Nearly 1,000 members attended the ICBA’s annual Washington Policy Summit on April 24 and 25. Community bankers met with their members of Congress and regulators to discuss issues affecting community banks and their customers. Key issues included supporting regulatory relief as part of ICBA’s Plan for Prosperity, ending too-big-to-fail, stopping the tax-subsidized credit union charter re-write, supporting a community bank exemption from Basel III and creating a new farm bill.
On April 23, ICBA also announced a partnership with the Farmers Market Coalition for the opening of farmers markets around the country. The goal is to help educate consumers on the positive effects of creating a sustainable local community through banking, shopping and dining locally.
“Community banks have helped local farmers and small businesses grow for year, so working with the Farmers Marketing Coalition to spread the positive Go Local message makes just as much sense now as it would have 50 or 100 years ago,” said Loving.
ICBA members represent more than 24,000 locations nationwide and employ 300,000 Americans. Member hold $1.3 trillion in assets, $1.1 trillion in deposits and $800 billion in loans to customers, small business and the agricultural community.
For more information, visit www.icba.org.
