Bank of America Expands National Community Advisory Council
New Members Increase Focus on Sustainability as the Council Celebrates a Decade of Engagement
CHARLOTTE, November 5, 2015 /3BL Media/ — Today, the National Community Advisory Council (NCAC), a diverse group of nonprofit and private-sector leaders convened by Bank of America, recognizes its 10th anniversary with the addition of five new members representing environment and sustainability expertise. Meeting this week in Washington, D.C., the group of senior consumer, community and academic leaders gathers twice a year to advise the bank on critical issues impacting society.
Formed in 2005, NCAC initially provided guidance on the bank’s community development lending and investment activities. While continuing its focus on community development and consumer policy issues, the council’s concentration has evolved into a broader focus on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and performance.
The broad portfolio of climate change goals and transformative finance initiatives that the bank has pursued led to an increased focus and expansion of environmental NCAC membership, which now includes:
- Armond Cohen, executive director, Clean Air Task Force
- Rick Fedrizzi, founding chairman and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council
- Bob Perciasepe, president, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
- Andrew Steer, president and CEO, World Resources Institute
- Mark Tercek, president and CEO, The Nature Conservancy
Another recent addition to the NCAC roster is Jane Nelson, a globally recognized leader in the CSR arena who currently serves as director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative.
“Our members challenge us and collaborate with us to strengthen the impact of our collective work in the communities we serve, and we welcome new voices around the table to further that goal,” said Andrew Plepler, Corporate Social Responsibility executive, Bank of America, and NCAC chair. “We are proud that what started out as a conversation about community development has evolved into a decade of engagement on some of the biggest issues facing society.”
This week’s meeting will provide an opportunity for NCAC members and bank executives to sit down together and engage in meaningful dialogue on a broad range of topics, including neighborhood stabilization efforts around affordable housing, the state of civil rights, and environmental sustainability issues. These meetings are meant to address important topics and open the lines of communication between NCAC members and the bank on the state of the economy and how these collaborative efforts can lead to meaningful solutions.
“Bank of America has long set a high bar for social responsibility programs that enhance the communities they serve,” said Fedrizzi, founding chairman and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council. “I’m honored to be part of its National Community Advisory Council, and look forward to serving with such an exceptional group."
The six new members join a seasoned group comprised of nationally recognized consumer advocates, academic leaders, civil rights leaders, and community development and environmental experts, including:
- Orson Aguilar, president, Greenlining Institute
- Nancy Andrews, president and CEO, Low Income Investment Fund
- Lee Beaulac, principal, Beaulac Associates, LLC*
- Cornell William Brooks, president and CEO, NAACP
- Mark Calabria, director, Financial Regulation Studies, CATO Institute
- Kurt Chilcott, president and CEO, CDC Small Business Finance
- Martin Eakes, president and CEO, Self-Help Ventures Fund*
- Marianne Garvin, president and CEO, CDC of Long Island
- Ted Gayer, director, Economic Studies Program, Brookings Institution
- Wade Henderson, president and CEO, Leadership Conference on Human Rights
- Calvin Holmes, president, Chicago Community Loan Fund
- Susan Keating, president and CEO, National Foundation for Credit Counseling
- Mindy Lubber, president, Ceres
- Terri Ludwig, president and CEO, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
- Marc Morial, president and CEO, National Urban League
- Janet Murguía, president and CEO, National Council of La Raza*
- Jim Park, chair emeritus and CEO, Mortgage Collaborative & Asian Real Estate Association of America
- Mark Pinksy, president and CEO, Opportunity Finance Network
- Travis Plunkett, senior director, Family Economic Security Portfolio, PEW Charitable Trust
- Michael Rubinger, president and CEO, Local Initiatives Support Corporation*
- Ellen Seidman, chair of the board of directors, Aeris, Inc.
- John Taylor, president and CEO, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
- Jennifer Tescher, director, Center for Financial Services Innovation
- Sarah Rosen Wartell, president, Urban Institute
- Paul Weech, CEO, Neighborworks
- Barry Zigas, director, Housing Policy, Consumer Federation of America
* Denotes founding member
About the National Community Advisory Council (NCAC)
Through a series of semiannual meetings each year, the National Community Advisory Council (NCAC) works with Bank of America to address critical issues, including new ways to improve its environmental business initiatives, evolve its responsible business practices and examine its approach to governance in order to help build stronger communities and more stable economies. As an example of the collaboration, the NCAC is credited with advising the bank on key issues related to financial stability, resulting in products like SafeBalance Banking®, programs such as Better Money Habits™ and revised policies related to transparency and fees.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 47 million consumer and small business relationships with approximately 4,700 retail financial centers, approximately 16,100 ATMs, and award-winning online banking with 32 million active users and more than 18 million mobile users. Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies and is a global leader in corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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