America's Community Bankers, Fairfield University launch first Executive MBA Program for Community Banking | Press Releases

America's Community Bankers and Fairfield University announced today that they have launched the first Executive MBA in the country geared specifically to community bankers. Some 20 students, graduates from ACB's National School of Banking, are enrolled in the first class of the new Executive MBA program at Fairfield University, which begins July 28.

"This new partnership combines the education program of the National School of Banking, with its emphasis on banking and finance, with the broad business knowledge of our School of Business, leading to state-of-the-art management skills for banking executives," said Dr. Walter Ryba, dean of the university's School of Business.

Gloria Pritchard-Becker, executive director of the National School, said ACB has a long history of providing its members with quality educational programs, including through the flagship National School. "The Executive MBA, geared specifically to community bankers, is the next logical step in rounding out the community banking curriculum."The program, she explained, offers non-traditional scheduling and education that recognizes the needs of today's professionals.

"This is a unique example of mutual respect between the business and academic world, each recognizing that the other has much to contribute to the development of our future banking leaders," Pritchard-Becker added. Among the students from Connecticut enrolled in the new program are executives from People's Bank, Naugatuck Savings, New Haven Savings and Farmington Savings.

ACB has had a partnership with Fairfield University for more than 20 years, opening a conference center on campus in 1979 for general education programs and the National School of Banking. The center was sold to the university two years ago and has been converted to space for the expanding School of Business.

America's Community Bankers presents the nation's community banks of all charter types and sizes. ACB members pursue progressive, entrepreneurial and service-oriented strategies in providing financial services to benefit their customers and communities.