Published 06-01-00
Submitted by Bank of America Corporation
Bank of America received the Urban Financial Services Coalition Corporate Award at the coalition's National Conference, held May 24-27 in San Francisco. This is the second time in four years the bank has received this honor.
Gwen Thomas, Bank of America Staff Technology and Services executive, and James Jackson, Bank of America Florida Consumer Banking executive, accepted the award for which Wells Fargo and Visa also competed.
"This award is proof that our company is doing the right thing," said Thomas. "It is rare in our industry to receive an honor like the Corporate Award twice in four years. We clearly are demonstrating our commitment to the growth and vitality of the African American business community. I'm proud to be a part of a company in which inclusive meritocracy is a core value and where diversity is viewed as good business."
UFSC also honored Bank of America Investment Services associate Deborah Foster as Orator of the Year. Based in Dallas, Foster won on the chapter, regional and national levels with her 10-minute presentation, "UFSC: Are We Leveraging Our Value?"
In addition, the Houston chapter of UFSC was honored as Outstanding Chapter of the Year (with 50 or more members). Bank of America associates Leonard W. Ray and Earline Davidson lead this chapter.
"We are proud of our associates' accomplishments as well as the bank's participation in and support of this event," said Henry Givens, national director of Commercial Business Development for the Bank of America Professional African American Banking Group and outgoing UFSC president.
"Bank of America has contributed greatly to the overall success of UFSC, which changed its name this year to reflect the breadth and depth of the organization's membership. UFSC now presents itself as an inclusive coalition with more than 3,000 members from the financial services industry," Givens said.
Bank of America, with $656 billion in assets, is the largest bank in the United States. It has full-service operations in 21 states and the District of Columbia and provides financial products and services to 30 million households and two million businesses, as well as providing international corporate financial services for business transactions in 190 countries. The company's stock (ticker: BAC) is listed on the New York, Pacific, and London stock exchanges, and certain shares are listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.