OCC Names District Community Reinvestment and Development Specialists

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced the selection of community reinvestment and development (CR/D) specialists to fill nine of twelve new positions in the agency's district offices. They will report directly to the district directors for consumer compliance.

"We've created these new positions to encourage national banks' continued participation in profitable and rewarding community development activities," said Comptroller Eugene A. Ludwig. "The specialists will stimulate ongoing dialog and foster partnerships between local community development organizations, national banks and public officials," he added.

The OCC's CR/D specialists for each district are:

• Northeast (New York) - Stephen Davey (212) 790-4055
• Southeast (Atlanta) - Karol Klim (404) 588-4545
• Central (Chicago) - Roosevelt Washington (312) 360-8884
• Midwest (Kansas City) - Annette Lepique (816) 556-1773 and Bradley Streeter (816) 556-1892
• West (San Francisco) - Anna Alvarez Boyd (415) 545-5939 and Julia Brown (415) 545-5956
• Southwest (Dallas) - David Lewis (214) 720-7000 and Don Smith (214) 720-7000

The specialists will provide technical guidance to bankers and community groups to encourage safe and profitable community development lending and investment activities and will help facilitate partnerships between national banks and sponsors of community development. They will also be used to train the OCC's safety and soundness examiners in the areas of community development lending and investing, and in CRA examination techniques and best practices.

The OCC will hire three more specialists, one each for the Northeast, Central and Southeast districts.