TBA Mission Statement
The mission of the Tennessee Bankers Association is to represent and support its members, enabling them to provide a full range of quality financial products and services while maintaining safety and soundness.
History and Current Activities
The Tennessee Bankers Association (TBA) is a trade association established to serve the needs of the state's banks, thrift institutions, and trust companies. Among other activities, the association provides continuing education, develops and monitors state and federal legislative agendas, disseminates information on all facets of the financial services industry, and promotes the public image of financial institutions. To conduct these efforts, the Nashville-based TBA employs a staff of 16.
The TBA held its organizational meeting and first annual convention on October 22, 1890, in Memphis. Today, all of the 237 Tennessee banks and thrift institutions belong to the association. In addition, TBA has approximately 170 associate members. Associate membership is available to out-of-state banks and thrifts as well as commercial firms that market products or services to the members of the association.
Each year, the TBA conducts approximately 50 information, education, and training programs. Among these are the TBA Annual Meeting, Independent Bankers Division Convention, and the TBA Leadership Convention, held annually.
The TBA conducts four banking schools - The Southeastern Schools of Banking, Commercial Lending, Consumer Credit, and Advanced Commercial Lending. These schools enroll students from around the Southeast and enjoy the endorsement of several other southeastern bankers associations.
Through the Personal Economics Program (PEP), developed by the American Bankers Association, local bankers bring practical economic education to area schools, community, and civic organizations. The national Teach Children to Save Day and Get Smart About Credit Day, which teaches older teens about using credit wisely, are just two of the consumer-oriented PEP activities, which falls under the responsibility of TBA's Young Bankers Division.
In addition to PEP, the TBA endorses America's Promise-The Alliance for Youth, established by General Colin Powell. Currently, 75 member banks are committed to serving the young people in their communities as Banks of Promise.
Since 1913, the Tennessee Bankers Association has published The Tennessee Banker, a monthly magazine covering association programs and events, important industry trends, news about member banks and their employees, and regulatory information. Each branch office of TBA member institutions and all associate members receive a complimentary copy of the publication as a benefit of membership.
On the legislative and legal fronts, TBA keeps members informed of rapid developments in the financial industry. The association coordinates legislative programs on both the national and state levels, provides regulatory information to member institutions, researches legal questions posed by members, and serves as a liaison between member banks and the state and federal governing bodies and regulatory agencies. The Legislation and Regulation Update contains critical, current news and information to advise TBA members of action to take on behalf of the industry.
Financial Products and Services, Inc, (Financial PSI), the wholly owned insurance agency of the TBA, offers financial institution blanket bond, directors' and officers' liability, and property and casualty insurance through BancInsure, which is endorsed by the Tennessee Bankers Association and 14 other state bankers associations. Financial PSI also offers business coverages, ie, deferred compensation and executive benefit insurance, as well as group and individual health and life insurance products.
Additional membership benefits include an annual salary survey, access to employment advertising and resumes of job-seekers, and the Bankers Directory, which is published semi-annually.
As today's financial industry grows, changes, and faces new challenges, so does the Tennessee Bankers Association. The TBA continually strives to evaluate, improve, and increase its programs and services in an effort to meet the needs of its member institutions.
Goals
• The TBA should continue to strive to be the preeminent association serving the evolving financial services industry.
• The TBA should represent capably the broad interest of Tennessee banks and savings and loans with state and federal legislative bodies, striving continually to upgrade its legislative programs.
• The TBA should take an active and aggressive role in providing members with services that are necessary to compete with the growing number of nontraditional providers of financial services.
• The TBA should continue to develop, refine, and provide education, training, and information programs that meet defined needs of the financial services industry.
• The communications, media relations, and publication efforts of the association should complement the association’s objectives.
• The association must provide for the sound operation of the TBA and its subsidiaries.
• The association should provide a highly competent, professional staff capable of furnishing excellence in programs and services. The staff should be innovative and responsive to changing member needs.
• The structure of the association should be examined periodically to assure it is organized and functions in a manner that provides the greatest benefit to all members. Proper balance should be maintained between maximum use of member input and control by elected officers and staff.
• The implementation of the TBA strategic plan and the strategic planning process should be an on-going activity of the association.
