Pub. 11 2014 Issue 2

O V E R A C E N T U R Y : B U I L D I N G B E T T E R B A N K S - H E L P I N G N E W M E X I C O R E A L I Z E D R E A M S 8 “ Those careers can rise as far as people can dream through life-long learning programs offered by state bankers associations and ABA. ” It’s a Wonderful Career GOV. FRANK KEATING, PRESIDENT AND CEO American Bankers Association O ne aspect of the holiday film classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” is how it examines the grim alternate reality of a town, Bedford Falls, and what befalls the people who live there without the presence of community banker George Bailey. WASHINGTON UPDATE It’s not pretty. Dreams become nightmares. Homes don’t get built, businesses fail or don‘t even get started, and the quality of life in the community is much diminished. The lesson in this is that George Bailey made a difference in people’s lives. If we pull the camera back and look at the banking industry today and its impact on our economy, we see 2 million people who, like George, work in banks, volunteer in their com- munities, and make a difference.