OCC Hosts Web and Telephone Seminar on How Community Banks Can Finance Small Business Exporters

WASHINGTON — The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will host a live Web and telephone seminar from 2 to 3:30 p.m. (EDT) on October 13, 2010. The seminar will focus on how community banks can use the federally guaranteed loan programs of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Export-Import Bank of the United States (the Export-Import Bank) to finance small business exporters.

In March, the Administration launched the National Export Initiative to help U.S. firms expand the sales of their goods and services abroad. An important goal of this initiative is to increase domestic employment by utilizing the resources of the federal government to support small businesses.

Properly implemented, SBA and Export-Import Bank lending programs may be attractive to banks seeking to retain and attract new customers, manage risk and liquidity, and generate additional fee and interest income. Under certain conditions, these loans may also be given positive consideration under the Community Reinvestment Act.

“These loan programs can provide an opportunity for community banks to provide working capital financing to small business exporters who otherwise would not be able to finance their production and distribution of export goods,” stated Acting Comptroller of the Currency John Walsh.

During the seminar, on-line and phone participants will have an opportunity to question the panelists, including Barry Wides, OCC Deputy Comptroller for Community Affairs; Augustine A. Grace, Senior Business Development Officer, Export-Import Bank of the United States; Richard S. Ginsburg, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S. Small Business Administration; and Julie Cripe, President and CEO, OmniBank, N.A.

This live Web and telephone seminar is part of the OCC’s educational outreach program. The program provides timely opportunities for the banking community to interact with the OCC and other governmental experts and industry professionals. The cost of the seminar is $115 for national banks and $150 for other participants.

For information or to register online or call (800) 775-7654 between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (CDT).