Woodforest National Bank Wins Consumer Bankers Association's Joe Belew Award For Its Outstanding Community Development Efforts

The Woodlands, TX (April 2019) – Woodforest National Bank recently received The Consumer Bankers Association's (CBA's) 2019 Joe Belew Award, which recognizes outstanding community development efforts for its Woodforest Foundry initiative. The award was presented to Woodforest at the annual CBA LIVE conference for the most innovative and impactful bank small business initiative.

"CBA members have a long history of serving their small business customers and we are excited this year's Joe Belew Award can recognize that work. Woodforest's Foundry program encourages entrepreneurs to guide other entrepreneurs with the same end goal in mind – enhancing the entrepreneurial ecosystem," said CBA President & CEO Richard Hunt. "CBA is proud to honor Woodforest's initiative to build, strengthen and maintain small businesses through education and expanded opportunity."

"Woodforest would like to thank both the CBA and the award committee for recognizing the efforts of Woodforest Foundry which helps ignite entrepreneurship and small business growth. We are committed to supporting small business, and the Foundry allows us to team up with community partners and other businesses on the ground level to make an impact. We hope this award sheds light on a continuing need to help activate, grow and sustain local entrepreneurial ecosystems, and that others will join the Woodforest Foundry which is open to everyone," said Jay Dreibelbis, President and CEO, Woodforest National Bank.

The Woodforest Foundry helps entrepreneurs turn their passion into action by testing their ideas and ability to run a business while also minimizing capital loss. The tool is facilitated by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs as mentors to enhance local entrepreneurial ecosystems which revitalizes underserved communities and helps grow businesses. With the Foundry, entrepreneurs find a community of mentors and trusted guidance from peers, Woodforest bankers and community partners.

Doug Schaeffer, EVP and CRA Executive Director at Woodforest added, "The Foundry is innovative because it's centered on building an entrepreneurial mindset. It is not an incubator. It is curated coaching to take action. Foundry starts with public community events that demystify entrepreneurship through candid conversations with successful entrepreneurs from the community and often fills needs simply by connecting local resources. We look forward to collaborating with other organizations to stimulate entrepreneurship locally. Join us."

For more information about the Woodforest Foundry, please contact Doug Schaeffer, EVP and CRA Executive Director at dschaeffer@woodforest.com or Daniel Galindo, SVP, CRA and Strategy Director at dgalindo@woodforest.com.

About the Joe Belew Award

The Joe Belew Award was established in 2011 in memory of Joe Belew, former CBA president, to honor his commitment to community development. The annual award recognizes a CBA member bank which continues that legacy. Citizens Bank, Discover Bank, First Niagara Financial Group, PNC Financial Services and Wells Fargo are past winners of the award and recipients are selected by a volunteer subgroup of the CBA Community Reinvestment Committee. The focus of the Joe Belew Award changes annually. Past award winners were recognized for job creation, low-and moderate-income housing programs, financial education, financial inclusion, digital access to financial services and support programs to serve service members, veterans and their families.

About the Consumer Bankers Association

The Consumer Bankers Association is the only national trade focused exclusively on retail banking. Established in 1919, the association is now a leading voice in the banking industry and Washington, representing members who employ nearly two million Americans, extend roughly $3 trillion in consumer loans, and provide $270 billion in small business loans.