MEMBERSHIP

Membership in the Delaware Bankers Association is open to all Delaware State and federally chartered tax paying financial institutions and to vendors serving the banking industry.

Firms interested in joining the DBA should complete an Application for Membership (available from the Association office) and forward it to the DBA's Corporate Secretary. Applications are reviewed and approved by the Association's Board of Directors. Financial institutions chartered as a bank in the State of Delaware are eligible to be Financial Institution Members; tax paying financial institutions that have banking operations and employees present in the State, but are not chartered as a bank, are eligible to be Associate Financial Institution Members, and vendors and other tax paying entities that do business with financial institutions are eligible to become Associate Members.

To see a list of current DBA members, go to Membership.

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MISSION STATEMENT

The Mission of the Delaware Bankers Association is to support its member institutions with leadership and information that will provide their employees, their communities and the State with a safe and viable financial services industry.

The Association will represent the interests of the industry by addressing and/or initiating State and Federal legislative and regulatory agendas deemed important by the membership.

The Association will promote educational and developmental programs as well as communication forums for the enhancement of the membership. Furthermore, it will promote and support the State of Delaware and its communities.

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ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE

The Delaware Bankers Association represents member commercial banks, trust companies and savings and loan associations in the legislative, regulatory and judicial arenas. DBA members are not individual persons -- rather, they are the financial institutions themselves. Thus, all employees of member institutions are eligible to participate in DBA activities. The Association also provides leadership and services through its four primary activities: advocacy, communications, education, and member services.

At the Association Annual Meeting each Spring, members elect officers and a Board of Directors. The new president appoints chairpersons for each Association active committee and task force, presides over meetings of the board and executive committee, and generally serves as the chief spokesperson for the banking industry in Delaware. Officers serve one-year terms.

Bankers volunteer to serve as officers, as members of the Board, on active committees, or as leaders of task forces. These individuals give their time, expertise, and insight, and it is their combined wisdom and creative force that allows the Delaware Bankers Association to move forward and to succeed.

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COMMITTEES

The Delaware Bankers Association also maintains committees as appointed by the Board, which provide the infrastructure and initiative for most Association activities. A listing of the active committees and their mission statements follows.

• COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE
  The Community Relations Committee is comprised of ten representatives from Members who serve in three-year terms as appointed by the Board. The Community Relations Committee meets at least quarterly to address the Community Reinvestment Act and various public relations issues that impact Members. The DBA Board members who serve on the Community Relations Committee report to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting following each Community Relations Committee meeting, or to a Special Meeting as may be deemed necessary at the discretion of the Board.
  
  The Mission of the Community Relations Committee is to inform the public of the community relations activities of its Members. To learn more about how the banking industry serves and invests to build a better Delaware, go to Community Corner.
  
  
• EDUCATION COMMITTEE
  The Education Committee is comprised of ten representatives from Members who serve in three-year terms as appointed by the Board. The Education Committee meets on a quarterly basis and reports to the Board through the Executive Vice President or his/her designee at its next regularly scheduled meeting following each Education Committee meeting.
  
  The Mission of the Education Committee is to oversee all levels of educational opportunities for the Association's Members. This Mission is accomplished when Association Members are offered timely and informative seminars, degree programs and bank related schooling that meet the diverse needs of the Membership. To learn more about the various educational programs offered by DBA, go to Education.
  
  
• EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
  The Executive Committee is comprised of the President, Past President, President-Elect and the Executive Vice President. The Executive Committee meets on an as needed basis and reports to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting following each Executive Committee meeting, or to a Special Meeting as may be deemed necessary at the discretion of the Board.
  
  The Mission of the Executive Committee is to act on behalf of the Board and to oversee all matters relating to Membership, Nominations and Personnel issues. This Mission will be accomplished by the Executive Committee reporting its findings to the Board.
  
  

• GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
  The Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is comprised of the in-house counsel members, the Executive Committee of the Board, and the appointed ABA Government Relations Council representatives who serve in three-year terms as appointed by the Board. The Government Affairs Committee meets on an as needed basis and reports to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting following each Government Affair Committee meeting or to a Special Meeting as may be deemed necessary at the discretion of the Board.
  
  The Mission of the Government Affairs Committee is to monitor, review and analyze state and federal legislation and regulatory actions affecting Members and to make appropriate position recommendations to the Board. To find about the latest State and Federal legislative action, go to Government Relations.

• REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COMMITTEE
  The Regulatory Compliance Committee is comprised of no less than ten representatives from Members who serve in three-year terms as appointed by the Board. The Regulatory Compliance Committee meets at least quarterly to address compliance and various compliance related issues that impact Members. The DBA Board member who serves on the Regulatory Compliance Committee reports to the Board at its next regularly scheduled meeting following each Regulatory Compliance Committee meeting, or to a Special Meeting as may be deemed necessary at the discretion of the Board.

  The Mission of the Regulatory Compliance Committee is to serve as a forum to: exchange and interpret regulatory information; actively participate in the regulatory rulemaking process; and, provide education an informational sharing opportunities.

  There are three subcommittees to the RCC: The Rulemaking Subcommittee reviews proposed regulations and may make comment to the appropriate regulatory agency. The Regulatory Subcommittee reviews new regulations and makes recommendations for implementation. The Education Subcommittee reviews and recommends compliance related educational programs helpful to the Compliance group.

  To get the latest compliance news, go to Compliance Center.

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DELAWARE BANKERS ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES

The four primary activities of the Delaware Bankers Association are:

• advocacy
• communications
• education
• member services

The Delaware Bankers Association actively participates in the legislative, regulatory and judicial affairs at the state and federal levels. DBA's legislative efforts include drafting, monitoring, and supporting legislation beneficial to the banking industry in Dover and in Washington, D.C.

Government Relations -- Delaware works with other state associations and the ABA on key federal issues; however, DBA's primary focus is legislative activity within Delaware's borders.

In Dover, the Association's advocacy team has developed positive working relationships with members of the General Assembly that usually has resulted in successful issues management during the annual legislative session. The Association also works closely with the Office of the State Bank Commissioner in the development of and amendments to the State's banking laws and regulations. The Association's primary lobbyist is the Executive Vice President.

The Association's Government Affairs Committee takes responsibility for establishing positions on issues and pending legislation with the assistance of the other standing committees, which review and/or recommend legislative proposals within their own fields of expertise. The DBA often submits comment letters to federal and state officials on proposed regulations.

The DBA also sponsors an annual visit to Washington, D.C., where bankers from throughout the state share their views and concerns with key policy makers in the federal government.

Amicus Curiae Briefs -- Amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs are prepared by DBA's legal counsel and are periodically filed on behalf of the Delaware banking industry upon the authorization of the Association's Board of Directors. The briefs act as formal position statements concerning court cases or lawsuits involving issues affecting Delaware banks.

For the latest updates on these issues, go to Government Relations.

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The Delaware Bankers Association provides a number of effective vehicles for communicating with its interested public, combining targeted publications with community outreach in an effort to successfully address its varied constituencies.

Association Publications -- Recognizing the nature of banking's ever-changing environment, the Delaware Bankers Association maintains a communications staff to keep the industry and public informed of important developments in the field. Three regular communications are produced for the membership -- they are the DBA UPDATE newsletter, the annual Legislative Bulletin and the DBA Internet Website - www.debankers.com.

The DBA UPDATE, the Association's member newsletter, is published bi-monthly and includes articles of general interest to Delaware's financial services industry. The newsletter includes developments within banking's functional divisions, a special feature article, a calendar of events, and other relevant information.

The Legislative Bulletin, published following the annual session of the Delaware General Assembly, provides a synopsis of bills impacting bankers, the status of these bills, and indicates any position taken by the Association on their passage.

The DBA Website summarizes the various aspects of the Association, its membership, educational opportunities, including AIB, and provides numerous informational links to related organizations including the ABA, the Delaware General Assembly, and the Office of the State Bank Commissioner.

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Education is among the Delaware Bankers Association's greatest responsibilities. Bankers must continually seek new information and learn new skills to compete in a changing world and to improve their productivity in the workplace. The programs offered by the Delaware Bankers Association keep members aware of new trends and technologies and update them on important issues.

DBA sponsors two levels of educational programs:

• The Delaware Center for Financial Training (DCFT) has an affiliation agreement with the DBA with a goal of providing educational banking opportunities to entry and mid-level bank employees. Delaware CFT serves over 30,000 Delaware bank employees by sponsoring an average of 35 seminars a month and offering over 30 courses a semester with many programs available for credit towards a college degree. CFT has an annual enrollment of approximately 6,000 students.
  
  
• DBA offers specialized educational opportunities for mid to upper level management emphasizing current topical issues that impact bank decision making. These educational opportunities are available in a traditional classroom environment as well as on the Internet to maximize opportunities for students to improve their banking skills.
  
  Beginning in the Fall, 2001 the DBA will start its own Compliance School. In addition, the DBA works with the Pennsylvania Bankers Association's Central Atlantic Regional Trust and Commercial Lending School along with the New Jersey and Maryland Bankers Association.

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A more detailed discussion of Delaware Bankers Association member services programs may be found at Products and Services.

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The long history of Delaware banking has been marked by the influence of two very divergent characteristics common to virtually all of its institutions: on the one hand, an intensely competitive spirit, and on the other, a sensible spirit of cooperation for the solution of problems and issues necessary to their common good and the public welfare.

Competition first arose with the founding of the Farmers Bank of the State of Delaware in 1807, bringing to an end twelve years of monopoly enjoyed by the original Bank of Delaware. During the next decade three other banks were chartered and the new industry experienced its first serious crisis, which had to be addressed by group action.

On January 3, 1816, a historic first meeting of representatives of all of the State's first five banks was held in Dover to consider the best means of restoring the eroding public confidence in the local bank paper and to devise some plan for the free and orderly circulation of bank notes in the State.

To the credit of the participating bankers, an effective solution was devised and "Articles of Association" were drawn pledging "themselves, each to the other, to observe, abide and perform" the "agreements and arrangements."

Unfortunately, this unique first pact was limited to the single problem addressed. During the next seventy years, as the industry and its problems grew, it appeared that there was no semblance of a continuing plan of association. Each new issue was addressed as it arose on an ad hoc basis with varying degrees of cooperation and effectiveness.

Eventually the need for a permanent and continuing association could no longer be ignored in the area that had the heaviest concentration of banking activity. In 1887 the Wilmington Clearing House Association was organized to facilitate and regulate the important intra-industry activities and functions of that city's eight banks.

The success of the new regional organization sparked interest in the possible formation of a statewide association with a broader scope of activity. Subsequently responding to this interest, the Clearing House Association issued a call for representatives of all interested Delaware banks to attend a meeting on June 20, 1895 to set in motion a plan for such an organization.

The proposal was well received and action upon it was swift. Following well-laid organizational plans, a state convention was held on December 18, 1895 in Wilmington at which the Delaware Bankers Association was formally organized with nineteen banks and trust companies pledged to membership.

The new Association proved to be a stabilizing influence on the largely unregulated local banking industry prior to the establishment of the Office of State Bank Commissioner in 1919, for which development it was directly responsible.
During the next five decades, the Delaware Bankers Association's varied activities were effectively managed by volunteer elected officers and an executive committee drawn from the member banks. In 1969 the expanded activities necessitated the establishment of a permanent office in Dover and the employment of an executive staff.

Since the inception of the Association, virtually every Delaware bank has maintained continuous membership. Throughout its long history, the Delaware Bankers Association has enjoyed a respected and influential relationship with successive State administrations and General Assemblies as well as the Delaware Congressional delegations. It has, therefore, been an extremely effective force in helping to shape many important developments of major interest to Delaware banking since 1895. Legal actions instituted by the Association with respect to a number of landmark issues have consistently resulted in favorable court decisions.

Today, the Delaware Bankers Association helps to lead the State's banking industry into the 21st century with its continued history of a market driven, business friendly financial services industry. Currently, banking is the largest private industry in the State with over 32,000 people directly employed by Delaware financial institutions, which generates another 26,000 ancillary jobs.

The State's business friendly environment, along with its progressive laws and chancery court system, make it a leader in the banking industry with some of the largest financial institutions in the country having operations in the State. Currently, member financial institutions range in asset size from $36 million to over $45 billion.

As DBA enters the new millennium, it has positioned itself to attract new institutions as members by "opting in" to interstate banking and by opening its doors to foreign banks. As a result, it continues to prove itself as a legislative leader in successfully supporting its member institutions for maximum financial services opportunities at both the State and Federal levels.

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