U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm Met with Baltimore-Based WeSolar Inc. Leadership  BALTIMORE (November 11, 2022) –  U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm visited WeSolar, Inc. headquarters for a fireside chat-style discussion with WeSolar CEO Kristal Hansley. Secretary Granholm expressed her excitement for not only Kristal’s leadership as the first African American woman-found solar company in the country but, also solutions moving forward to address issues that impact underserved communities. The U.S. Department of Energy has set a nationwide target of growing the community solar industry by 700% nationwide by 2025; that’s one of the reasons why this conversation was so timely. The conversation highlighted WeSolar’s founding, In Baltimore City, being on Juneteenth 2020 and the new opportunities offered to communities that never had the option of using a solar farm and adding that directly to their bill. “Community solar is a popular vertical; the shared access opens the margin by 80%,” said WeSolar CEO Kristal Hansley.” Much work needs to be done, including calling on Federal, State Representatives, groups, and regulators to support legislation that advances the gap that community solar serves. “A great answer to equity would be community solar getting on more regulators’ radar as a...

     National Bankers Association Holds Its 95th Anniversary Conference Introduces Next Generation and Innovation Councils   With the swearing-in of its slate of board directors, the National Bankers Association (NBA) convened its 95th Anniversary Conference in Washington, D.C. Over the two-day conference, nearly 200 NBA Minority Depository Institution (MDI) members, guests, and strategic partners joined NBA leadership to engage in discussions around this year’s theme, “Honoring the Past, Shaping the Future: MDIs & the Road to Wealth Creation.”  “For the first time in three years, NBA members and partners gathered in person to review the transformational changes in our industry and celebrate a 36 percent increase in MDI assets,” said Nicole Elam, president and CEO of the National Bankers Association. “There was a deep sense of enthusiasm and urgency to use the conference to exchange insights that will help us guide our industry forward.” During the conference, the NBA announced two new councils. The Next Generation Advisory Council will focus on increasing the number of millennials using minority-owned and minority-operated banks while providing insight into ways to improve technology to meet the needs of their evolving customer base. The Innovation Council will identify and assess partnerships and technology solutions to help member banks...

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Bankers Association (NBA) announced its newly formed Next Generation (Next Gen) Advisory Council. The Council is made up of ethnically diverse leaders that have made noteworthy contributions to finance, technology, entertainment, and sports. As digital capabilities increasingly define financial services and the customer base gets younger, MDIs must modernize to survive. Next Gen fulfills that need as they will focus on increasing the number of millennials using minority-owned and minority-operated banks while providing insight on ways to improve technology to meet the needs of their evolving customer base. On October 12th, the Advisory Council hosted an inaugural reception in Washington, D.C., and discussed the future as a cohesive body of game-changing leaders working with the National Bankers Association. Advisory Council Co-Chair Kai Cunningham, who Co-Founded Limited Ventures alongside the Rockefeller, Forbes, & Costa Families, states, “In a time where diversity is paramount, it is essential that this organization, among others, are visible and accessible to provide opportunities to underserved communities whether it be access to financial literacy, and even down the line, the opportunity to collaborate in communities that focus on high structured finance such as venture capital and private equity.” Advisory Council Co-Chair Chloe Barz,...