In his opening remarks as American Bankers Association chair, John Asbury spoke to the core values of Atlantic Union Bank where he serves as CEO —“caring, courageous, committed”— and used them to frame his goals for the year ahead.
“I’ve always said that banking is a noble profession,” he said. “We’re here to help people, help businesses and help our communities. But the reality is that the policy environment isn’t helping us. I want to give a bit of a wake-up call to bankers here that I hope you’ll take home to your employees: we have to care about policy issues.”
Meanwhile, he added, in a politicized and polarized environment, “it takes courage to stand on principle. That’s another reason why I’m proud to be a part of ABA—because this organization will stand up for what is best for our industry and our customers.”
Finally, he cited Atlantic Union Bank’s commitment to growing into a Virginia-based regional bank—a commitment the bank made in part because it faced arbitrary asset thresholds that required certain kinds of growth. “Banks shouldn’t be forced into making decisions they might not otherwise make due to artificial thresholds,” Asbury said. “And that’s the message I’m committed to delivering this year as chair of the American Bankers Association. I’m committed to this industry. I want it to be here for the long haul. I want your bank to be here for the long haul, if that’s what’s best for you, your communities and your shareholders.”
