As part of Financial Literacy Month, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent today hosted 14 community bankers from across the country to learn more about financial education efforts in the U.S.
Held at the Treasury Department with the help of ABA, Secretary Bessent called the roundtable a “listening session” designed to allow Treasury officials to hear firsthand about successful financial literacy initiatives at banks. He said the discussion will help inform Treasury’s ongoing work to update the National Strategy on Financial Literacy. Participants also highlighted the ABA Foundation’s long‑standing leadership in financial education, including programs such as Teach Children to Save, Get Smart About Credit, and Safe Banking for Seniors, which together have reached millions of consumers through banker‑led lessons nationwide.
“In my own life experiences, as an economic historian, and now as the 79th Treasury secretary it is my firm belief financial literacy is what fuels the American Dream,” Bessent said to kick off Financial Literacy Month in early April. Understanding how to make informed financial decisions unlocks opportunity for every American and their families.” In today’s discussion, Bessent underscored the critical role community bankers play as the lifeblood of their communities, noting that their close relationships and on‑the‑ground experience with their customers and communities make them indispensable partners in expanding financial capability across the country.
“We deeply appreciate Secretary Bessent and the Treasury Department’s invitation to share our perspective on the critical role banks of all sizes are playing in improving financial literacy in the country,” said ABA Foundation Executive Director Lindsay Torrico, a roundtable participant. “The bankers in the room provided great examples of successful financial education initiatives that will inform the Treasury’s National Strategy.”
“It was an important conversation today. It reaffirms what banks like ours are doing every single day in the community,” said Thomas Fraser, president and CEO, First Mutual Holding Co. in Lakewood, Ohio. “I took away some powerful stories, things we can go back and implement in our communities more broadly.”
