Dr. Thomas is the nation's leading expert and author on the Community Reinvestment Act, or CRA. He has a Ph.D. in business and applied economics and an M.A. in finance from The Wharton School as well as an MBA from the University of Miami and a B.S.B.A. (High Honors) from the University of Florida. Dr. Thomas taught banking and monetary economics at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania for 42 years. He is also a 20-plus year member of the board of directors and chairman of the nominating/corporate governance committee of a community bank. Dr. Thomas was the co-founder and chairman of the board of trustees of another successful CRA qualified investment impact bond fund that he launched in August 1999, but he is no longer associated with it or its advisor. Dr. Thomas was a recipient of one of the first three awards of excellence from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition, or NCRC, in 1994, the other two awarded to Representative Joe Kennedy and Comptroller of the Currency Eugene Ludwig. As a consultant to both the private and federal sectors, his thought leadership is reflected in today's existing CRA regulations.
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San Francisco Fed President John Williams is not suited to lead the most important of the regional Fed banks, given his inability to detect the phony-accounts problems at Wells Fargo. He also lacks Wall Street experience.
March 28
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Reform of the Community Reinvestment Act should seek to establish a minimum standard for the volume of CRA activities a bank must complete in its assessment area.
November 30 -
Contrary to the view of some, technology has not rendered the Community Reinvestment Act obsolete. But everyone seems to agree that it should be reformed.
August 22 -
Without incentives to shoot higher, banks usually settle for "Satisfactory" on their Community Reinvestment Act exams, but many find that not getting a better grade has consequences.
September 8 -
What was true in the late 1700s, the 1970s and the 1980s is still true today: bank customers want to interact with real-life people when managing finances.
August 2
