ACB: Press Releases

Contact:	Robert Schmermund (202) 857-3104 Jim Eberle (202) 857-3145	Jim Eberle (202) 857-3145 (work) (703) 893-2593 (home) [email protected]	For Immediate Release March 6, 2003 #03-11
E-mail: [email protected]

AMERICA’S COMMUNITY BANKERS IS FOUNDING MEMBER OF FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR COORDINATING COUNCIL

Press Release Tools
	E-mail This Press Release
	Printer-Friendly Format

WASHINGTON, D.C. — America’s Community Bankers has joined with 22 financial services trade associations, financial institution utilities and exchanges to announce the formation of the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council to help protect America’s financial infrastructure.

“America’s Community Bankers is delighted to be joining forces with other members of the financial services community to ensure that our nation’s capital markets and financial system operate safely, without interruption, under any circumstances,” said ACB President and CEO Diane Casey Landry. She added, “In an era of terrorism and cyber terrorism, the council will play an important role in coordinating industry and government agency efforts to preserve our financial markets and protect the interests of investors.”

Rhonda MacLean, director of Corporate Information Security for Bank of America, continues to chair the council. MacLean has served as the coordinator of the council since her appointment by the Treasury Department in May 2002.

“Protecting our financial institutions and networks is fundamental to our economy and to the lives of Americans across our nation,” said MacLean. “Becoming a formal, legal entity demonstrates the strong commitment of each member organization to protect our nation’s financial infrastructure. Together, we will provide the leadership for the financial services sector in continuing to ensure that we deliver the consistent trust and services our customers expect and deserve.”

Since its inception in June 2002, the council has focused its activities on four primary areas:

Effective and rapid information dissemination of threat and incident information to and from the government through the industry’s Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS/ISAC).
Crisis management and response coordination to enable communication across the sector in the event of a regional or national disaster.
Outreach and organizational engagement to ensure all institutions within the sector understand the industry’s critical infrastructure and homeland security objectives and responsibilities.
Knowledge sharing and best practices to leverage existing work, which can be shared across the sector to improve security and business continuity practices that protect the financial services infrastructure.

The council will work closely with the Treasury Department, the financial services lead agency for financial services critical infrastructure protection, through its Financial and Banking Information Infrastructure Committee (FBIIC).

“The nation’s financial infrastructure is critical — it is the engine of our free-enterprise economy,” said Michael Dawson, deputy assistant Treasury secretary. “As the president has recognized, we must protect it through private-public partnerships. The council plays the central role in coordinating this partnership. I am grateful for the council’s leadership.”

Founding members of the council include:

America’s Community Bankers
American Bankers Association
American Council of Life Insurers
ASIS International
Bank Administration Institute
Consumer Bankers Association
Credit Union National Association
Fannie Mae
Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, LLC
Financial Services Roundtable and BITS
Futures Industry Association
Independent Community Bankers of America
Investment Company Institute
Managed Funds Association
NASDAQ Stock Market
National Association of Federal Credit Unions
NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association
The Clearing House
Securities Industry Association
The Bond Market Association
The Options Clearing Corporation
_________

About the Financial Services Sector Coordinating Council for Critical Information Protection and Homeland (CIP/HLS):

The council for CIP/HLS fosters and facilitates financial services sector-wide activities and initiatives designed to improve Critical Infrastructure Protection and Homeland Security. The council was created in June 2002, by the private sector, with recognition from the U.S. Treasury Department, to coordinate critical infrastructure and homeland security initiatives for the financial services industry. The four major areas of immediate focus for the council include: Effective and Rapid Information Dissemination, Crisis Management and Response Coordination, Outreach and Organizational Engagement, and Knowledge Sharing and Best Practices.

_________

Reporters May Contact:

Lisa Gagnon, Bank of America, 704.388.3192
[email protected]

Bob Schmermund, America’s Community Bankers, 202.857.3104
[email protected]

John Hall, American Bankers Association, 202.663.5473
[email protected]

Jack Dolan, American Council of Life Insurers, 202.624.2418
[email protected]

Vicki Contavespi, ASIS International, 703.518.1466
[email protected]

Jeannette Weiland, Bank Administration Institute, 312.683.2319
[email protected]

Pat Keefe, Credit Union National Association, 202.508.6765
[email protected]

Tonya Baltimore, Fannie Mae, 202.752.5693
[email protected]

Suzanne Gorman, Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center, LLC, 212.383.9375
[email protected]

Cheryl Charles, Financial Services Roundtable and BITS, 202.289.4322
[email protected]

Viveca Y. Ware, Independent Community Bankers of America, 202.659.8111
[email protected]

John Collins, Investment Company Institute, 202.326.5889
[email protected]

Stephanie M. Pries, Managed Funds Association, 202.367.2309
[email protected]

John Zimmerman, National Association of Credit Unions, 703.522.4770
[email protected]

Michael Herd, Nacha – The Electronic Payment Association, 703.561.3924
[email protected]

Margaret Draper, Securities Industry Association, 212.618.0531
[email protected]

John Teall, The Bond Market Association, 646.637.9279
[email protected]

Pam Tvrdy, The Options Clearing Corporation, 312.322.9853
[email protected]

America’s Community Bankers is the national trade association committed to shaping the future of banking by being the innovative industry leader strengthening the competitive position of community banks. To learn more about ACB, visit www.AmericasCommunityBankers.com.

-30-