• Home
  • Education
  • News and Resources
  • Advocacy
  • Associate Members
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
News
Education, Member News, News

“A Conversation on Racial Equity” Banker Panel Recap: Navigating the Waters

On Wednesday, Dec. 9, WBA hosted “A Conversation on Racial Equity” with Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to discuss DEI at banks and beyond. Following the event, WBA’s Rose Oswald Poels hosted a banker panel moderated by ABA Senior VP, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Naomi Mercer to continue the conversation with bankers.  

The panel’s contributors included Chase Executive Director and Market Director – Consumer Banking Al Araque, Bay Bank President and CEO Jeff Bowman, ABA Executive VP of Strategic Initiatives John Holdsclaw IV, U.S. Bank Consumer and Business Banking Leader Nina Johnson, and Park Bank VP – Branch Banking Suzanne Johnson. The group discussed tokenism, bridging the wage gap, first steps for DEI objectives, and ongoing steps to be taken, among several other topics. 

Throughout the conversation, the group offered a variety of tips and advice on how banks can begin using their resources to make an impact. To start, they suggested the best way to make sure DEI objectives are met and maintained is to elect someone who is willing to take on that responsibility but to also understand that it’s a team-based effort. It's important for your leadership team to allow you to move forward with these initiatives and embrace the autonomy to step outside your job description when these roles come up. 

Developing an awareness during the hiring process is another factor the group recommended. It’s up to the organization to work together to take a step back, see where they’re sourcing candidates from, and understand the process they’re involved in. Beyond the hiring process, be willing to support and sponsor the underrepresented individuals as they rise through the ranks. They further agreed to always be mindful and always be intentional with every relationship formed at your bank. Assuring some level of sustainability from a relationship standpoint allows banks to prosper in their current environment and beyond. As Holdsclaw stated, “Diversity is a reality, but inclusion is a choice." 

Make sure your products are available for everyone and find a way to grade yourself on whether you’re reaching objectives such as these. Are you making mortgage loans available to people of all income levels? Are you lending to small businesses? Create an equitable process for reviewing and considering applications and put the necessary attention into areas that have been underserved. 

Finally, each participant unanimously agreed that it’s important to realize where you’re at, where you’d like to be, and not to rush while getting there. Bowman offered a useful analogy – consider the speed of your approach in terms of viewing your bank as a boat. Community banks are the speedboats; their smaller size allows them to make quick turns when they need to shift gears. Larger banks are the battleships; they have a bigger crew and more equipment, but their operations and communication span the entirety of the vessel. Therefore, it takes more time for those turns to be made. Once you recognize the mobility of your craft, you can truly be prepared to navigate the waters. After that, just don’t stop improving. 

“It’s not always the bank product,” said Bowman. “It's your time.” 

If you’re interested in viewing the event, the recording will be available until Dec. 23. Please email wbaeducation@wisbank.com to learn more. 

By, Alex Paniagua

Print 🖨
December 11, 2020/by Jose De La Rosa
Tags: Daily Banker News Clips, Member News
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on WhatsApp
  • Share on Pinterest
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Share on Vk
  • Share on Reddit
  • Share by Mail
https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg 0 0 Jose De La Rosa https://www.wisbank.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Wisconsin-Bankers-Association-logo.svg Jose De La Rosa2020-12-11 14:40:302021-10-13 14:39:13“A Conversation on Racial Equity” Banker Panel Recap: Navigating the Waters
You might also like
Security Financial Bank Promotes Jacob Bauer
Novotny, Zirbes, and Zimborski Promoted at Cornerstone Community Bank
Prevail Bank Donates $5,000 to Taylor County Homeless Shelter
Triangle BackgroundState Bank of Reeseville Promotes Steinhorst
Cornerstone Community Bank Hosts Drive to Benefit Falls Area Food Pantry
Forward Bank Accomplishes the Mission in 2022
Triangle BackgroundClark Joins National Exchange Bank
Triangle BackgroundAssociation Update: EBC Assists WBA — Members Meet Goals, Live Healthier

Categories

  • Advocacy
  • Community
  • Compliance
  • Credit Unions
  • Education
  • Member News
  • News
  • Products
  • Resources
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • National Exchange Bank & Trust Announces Officer Promotions
  • First National Bank and Trust Company Hosts International Speaker
  • Sawyers Promoted at One Community Bank
  • Van Asten Retiring After 32-Year Career with First State Bank
  • Compliance Column: What Wisconsin’s Transfer by Affidavit Form Means for Bankers

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • November 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • January 2018
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • August 2016
WBA logo
  • About
  • Community
  • Subsidiaries
  • Staff

questions@wisbank.com

608-441-1200

4721 S Biltmore Ln.
Madison, WI 53718

Get our Newsletter!
Subscribe

© 2023 Wisconsin Bankers Association. All rights reserved. | Website Design by Bizzy Bizzy
WBA Releases 2019-2020 Advocacy ReportQ&A on DEI: Continuing the Conversation
Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

OKLearn more×

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Terms of Use
Accept settingsHide notification only

Subscribe

* indicates required








Membership