Executive Change: Richard Hunt Named President of CBA

Arlington, Va. — Today the Consumer Bankers Association’s board of directors announced Richard Hunt will become president of CBA. Hunt will begin his role leading the organization in its support and advocacy for the retail banking industry on June 1, 2009. He is succeeding CBA’s former president Joe Belew who died in January.

"Retail banking is pivotal to local communities and critical to driving the nation’s economy forward. We’ve identified in Richard the best possible combination of skills, experience and vision to lead the only organization that solely represents retail banking," said Brendan McDonagh, chairman of CBA’s board of directors and chief executive officer of HSBC North America Holdings Inc. "Richard’s more than 20 years of association management and federal policy experience, as well as his deep understanding of guiding the financial services industry through unprecedented change, is precisely what CBA and the industry needs."

"I’m looking forward to being part of an association with a 90-year history of focusing on the needs of retail banks as they serve consumers, small businesses, and the communities in which they reside," Hunt said. "Most of all I look forward to working with Congress to find common sense solutions to improve today’s economy."

Hunt’s previous positions include serving as senior vice president of federal policy for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association. He also served as senior managing director of the Securities Industry Association, which merged with the Bond Market Association in 2006 to form SIFMA. In these roles Hunt led major initiatives on investment tax and retirement legislation, and various other financial services issues. He also provided political insight and strategic advice to senior financial executives, and was a national spokesperson on financial services issues.

Hunt began his career in the U.S. House of Representatives where he spent 12 years serving as district manager and chief of staff for Congressman Jim McCrery (R-La). Originally from Louisiana, Hunt is a graduate of the University of Louisiana where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in marketing.