December, 2022, concludes my third consecutive year as chairman of the Community Advisory Board of and for First Republic Bank, the 25th largest bank in the United States, and I could not be prouder of the institution, nor my association with it.
Like my own head-down, get-it-done work ethic, they are always working.
Working for their clients.
Working for their communities.
And they were aided in the latter regard, by the esteemed leadership and contributions of my fellow Community Advisory Board Members, including faith Bautista, president and CEO of the National Asian American Coalition and National Diversity Coalition, and Ann Houston, founder and CEO of Opportunity Communities.
And also Susan Ifill, COO of NeighborWorks America, and Janice Jensen, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley.
And supporting the board has been Rosana Han and the entire group team there at the bank. Doing a super job.
And the leadership for community reinvestment began and continues, at the top — from founder and Executive Chairman James Herbert, II, to newly announced president and CEO Michael J. Roffler.
Additionally, their chief banking officer Mike Selfridge is also top notch people, and a true professional in banking.
But at the end of the day, the work has led to impressive results for the community and bank alike, and they include…
The Community Advisory Board was formed in Oct 2016 to guide the Bank’s CRA and financial literacy strategies.
• Five inaugural members of the Board with deep expertise ranging from affordable housing, economic development, financial empowerment, and community coalition building. They each contribute great diversity in background and geographic markets.
• Over the last six years, the CAB has provided critical guidance on FRB’s key strategy initiatives, such as Eagle Community lending, COVID-19 pandemic response, PPP, CAB grant program, virtual volunteering, and supporting social justice and DEI efforts.
• The board and its members serve as community ambassadors for FRB in front of the community and regulatory agencies. Telling and helping to translate the Bank’s story to the underserved community.
• Today, FRB’s TA has exceeded $200 billion and its commitment to the community has grown commensurately.
We are all proud to be part of the Bank’s efforts to do the right thing and fulfil its corporate social responsibilities in a meaningful and impactful manner. And I am proud, to have served as chairman during such a pivotal time, during and through the worse pandemic to hit America in 125 years (since the Spanish Flu).
I look forward to continuing to help the Bank further its commitment and support to the underserved communities, as I plan to remain on the board going forward, turning the chairmanship reins over to another worthwhile leader, soon to be announced.
The full FRB Sustainability Report can be found here.
We all can make a meaningful difference. Let’s go be about it.
John Hope Bryant, founder, Operation HOPE