ABA Training Commercial Banking

The most significant economic trade association in the United States.

Author: Hala Kiwan
Hala Kiwan
Hala Kiwan

After I embraced my passion and entered the writing realm. Currently, I work as a freelance writer, content creator, and proofreader. In addition, I have an eclectic knowledge of the business world, beginning with finance, accounting concepts, and human resource management. I am an eager, self-motivated, dependable, responsible, and hardworking individual. an experienced team player who is versatile in all demanding circumstances. Additionally, I can work effectively on my own initiative as well as in a collaborative setting. I am good at meeting deadlines and working under pressure.

Reviewed By: Christy Grimste
Christy Grimste
Christy Grimste
Real Estate | Investment Property Sales

Christy currently works as a senior associate for EdR Trust, a publicly traded multi-family REIT. Prior to joining EdR Trust, Christy works for CBRE in investment property sales. Before completing her MBA and breaking into finance, Christy founded and education startup in which she actively pursued for seven years and works as an internal auditor for the U.S. Department of State and CIA.

Christy has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administrations from the University of London.

Last Updated:November 10, 2023

Overview — The American Bankers Association

The American Bankers Association initiatives include supporting professional development for member organizations, advocating on behalf of American banks and bankers, and conducting research to establish industry standards and banking guidelines.

The nine-routing number, introduced by the ABA in 1910, is one of its most notable innovations. Every financial service check in the United States bears the routing number. 

Its numbering system gives banks a distinctive identifier, simplifying and streamlining the processing of checks.

The ABA Nasdaq Indexes are another notable development by the organization. It established three indexes to represent publicly traded banking firms across the country. The three banking indexes are as follows:

  • NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index (ABAQ) 
  • Index of NASDAQ OMX ABA Community Banks (ABQI)
  • Total Return Index for ABA NASDAQ Community Banks (XABQ)

The ABA is regarded as the nation's largest group of banking associations. It provides a variety of products and services in a variety of fields, including

  • Staff education
  • Capital administration
  • Insurance
  • Asset administration
  • Consulting
  • compliance, and risk

Institutions like banks of all sizes and charters are among the ABA's members. With $13.5 trillion in assets, these financial institutions account for more than 95% of the financial sector

Over 2 million people are employed by banks and other financial institutions that are members of the organization, which also controls 95% of the banking sector's assets. These are some examples of these institutions:

  • Banks that are local, regional, and money centers
  • holding businesses
  • Savings cooperatives
  • Banks for Savings

The American Bankers Association (ABA) History

The American Bankers Association was founded in 1875 in Washington, D.C., as a trade association for the United States banking industry.

Savings affiliations, mutual savings banks, trust companies, local banks, regional and money center banks—banks of all sizes and charters—are all supported by their advocacy efforts. The average member bank has assets of around $250 million. 

The ABA is the most significant economic trade association in the United States. The organization provides training, diplomas, articles, studies, advocacy, and a community for bankers and other members of the banking and finance industry in the United States.

When Obama declared his intentions for reform, the ABA started influencing the government. In the first two quarters of 2011, spent $4.38 million on lobbying Congress and paid $2.36 million in the years 2010 and 2011.  

The ABA lobbied the White House, the departments of Agriculture, Treasury, and Labor, the Federal Reserve, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and Securities and Exchange Commission," according to a report filed with the Senate Secretary on July 19.

The American Bankers Association declared it would call for changes as soon as President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law on July 21, 2011. 

They declared that they would keep pushing for the bill's other provisions, such as the derivatives regulations and the Volcker Rule, to have fewer regulations. The ABA has been a strident critic of credit unions acquiring banks, giving it a top priority in their advocacy efforts.

Through the State Bankers Affiliation Alliance, it collaborates with 53 autonomous state bankers' associations. Every state had an association when the Rhode Island Bankers Affiliation was established in 1915.

The first state-based organization was established in Illinois in 1880. The training foundation is an ABA division that organizes financial education and literacy outreach programs. The foundation manages the following programs:

  • Get Smart About Credit
  • Lights, Camera, Save!
  • Safe Banking for Seniors
  • Teach Children to Save
  • Housing education

What is ABA Training?

The American Bankers Association offers ABA Training as a comprehensive source of education and training. Their local training provider provides candidates with all training certifications, courses, and briefings.

Both assisted and self-paced online formats, training delivers rich learning possibilities tailored to specific professional responsibilities. Online training provides a variety of content material to suit the needs of today's learners and the shifting demographics of the financial sector.

ABA's online training possibilities are flexible and cost-effective, and they are constantly updated to give a better learning opportunity that can be reached from anywhere, at any time.

Certificates, Self-Paced Online Training Courses, Facilitated Online Training Courses, and Briefings are all part of the program (webinars).

Certificates

Training for certificates develops the abilities needed for job progression. Certificates offer practical, customized knowledge relevant to a particular role in the bank through a predetermined course of study.

Programs are continuously assessed and improved to match market demands and shifts in the sector.

Self-Paced Online Training Courses

Because they are independent studies with real-life practice settings, these courses provide the most freedom in skill development and practical application.

Individual courses can be purchased online, or banks can acquire a license to access a particular system or a suite of courses inside their businesses. Rich graphics and interactivity are available in mobile-ready online training courses. Self-checks regularly to assess comprehension, and task aids are built in to help continue learning.

Online Training Courses Facilitated by the ABA

These courses are offered in a virtual classroom with other students, instructor guidance, and feedback. Online training courses that are facilitated provide banking-specific content that is supported by the following:

  • Weekly meetings are held to ensure interaction with the professor and other colleagues.
  • Banking instructors with extensive experience
  • Exams and exercises to test your knowledge
  • A weekly schedule that is flexible in terms of day and time.

Briefings from the ABA (webinars)

Briefings keep team members updated on the most pressing issues confronting bankers today. They are taking advantage of the briefings' accessibility on various topics.

Briefings are delivered via Internet streaming audio, so all you need is a computer and a piece of paper. categories are 

  • Compliance/Risk  
  • Corporate Integrity 
  • Mortgage 
  • Banking for Individuals
  • Trust/Wealth Management

ABA training provides a diverse range of certificates that will add value to the professional career path and assist in improving the individuals. The certificates are as follows:

  • Commercial Lending and Business Banking
  • Compliance
  • Executive Development
  • Mortgage Financing
  • Marketing & Retail Banking
  • Management of Risk
  • trust and Wealth Management

Business Banking and Commercial Lending — Certificates

The Certificate in Business and Commercial Lending investigates what to look for when analyzing business and commercial lending. Candidates must complete all of the individual courses and suites listed below.

The curriculum is available to students for one year from the date of purchase. The three new courses included in the certificate are tax returns and personal financial statements.

Along with Cash Flow and Cap Rates in Commercial Real Estate, Efficient Commercial Loan Write-Ups, Treasury Management, and critical new CRE, fraud, BSA/AML, and asset-based lending topics. 

After completing this in-depth series, you will thoroughly understand business segments, legal structures, and why businesses borrow, and you will be prepared to introduce new businesses to the bank.in addition to pre, and post-testing opportunities for lenders.

The following courses must be completed by the candidate for the Self-Paced section.

Understanding Commercial Borrowers (5 courses)

  • Business Sectors and Economic Cycles
  • Why Do Businesses Borrow
  • Legal Structures and Life Cycles?
  • Introduction to Financial Statements in Business
  • How are Business Financial Statements Created?

Analyzing Financial Statements and Tax Returns (6 courses)

NEW: Commercial Real Estate Cash Flow and Cap Rates

Personal Financial Statements and Tax Return Analysis (4 courses)

  • Personal Financial Statement Types
  • Crucial Ratios and Net Worth Adjusted
  • Cash Flow and Private Tax Returns
  • Putting Business and Personal Cash Flows Together to Create Global Cash Flow

Determining a Credit Risk Rating and Qualitative Analysis (4 courses)

  • Initial Business Development Calls and the Commercial Lending Process
  • Credit Investigation and Nonfinancial Risk Assessment
  • Loan Policies and Procedures, Including Credit Risk Evaluations
  • Synopsis of Loan Packages and Annual Reviews

Loan Design, Documentation, Pricing, and Problem Loans (5 courses)

  • Commercial Loan Construction
  • Key Documents, Loan Agreements, and Covenants for Recognizing Feasible Secondary and Tertiary Sources of Reimbursement
  • Loan Negotiations and Pricing
  • Loans with Challenges

Commercial Loan Write-ups That Work

Students who complete the course will be able to:

  • Choose the right risks, loan classifications, and risk ratings to address by
  • identifying the three reasons to create a loan write-up
  • explaining its uses and why
  • identifying and describing the desired information and data to include
  • choosing the desired information and data to include.

Treasury Administration

  • Candidates who complete the course will be able to:
  • Discover how treasury management profits both customers and the bank.
  • Describe the various treasury management products and services available.

Other Certificates

Candidates may also earn this certificate in the Facilitated section by completing two facilitated courses:

Financial Statement Analysis (16 weeks)

An explanation of financial statements in terms that apply to everyday life from the viewpoint of a commercial loan officer. Discover how to efficiently assess the risks associated with a customer, both current and prospective, and how to evaluate potential sources of loan repayment.

Candidates will learn how to:

  1. Analyze financial data and assess the risks of various industries.
  2. Describe the factors a lender must consider when utilizing ratios to assess financial performance.
  3. Explain the significance of cash flow and the numerous cash flow analysis tools, including the UCA and Global Cash Flow Model.
  4. Describe the fundamental formats and strategies for individual financial statements and tax returns.

2. Commercial Finance (12 weeks)

Suitable for anyone interested in learning about the commercial lending process, which is the foundation of most banks' lending portfolios. Learn what it takes to complete a commercial loan and to handle customer relations once the loan has been approved.

Candidates will learn how to:

  1. Recognize the process and information types that business bankers should obtain throughout the business development calls.
  2. Determine the appropriate sources of repayment for diverse commercial loan borrowing arrangements and the factors that influence collateral value.
  3. Describe the process and significance of a credit investigation.
  4. Describe and identify the loan negotiation process.
  5. Determine the reasons for problem loans and the procedures to resolve them.

ABA Small Business Banker Certificate

Explore tactics to engage customers effectively by addressing their needs and offering appropriate solutions. Small Business Banker Certificate, which includes the key skills for establishing trusted relationships with business customers and growing your book of business.

Learn best practices for conducting sales calls, dealing with objections, and providing ongoing service. You will improve your knowledge of relationship-centric sales approaches by accomplishing the Small Business Banker Certificate curriculum.

Lessons can be implemented on the job immediately using a blended-learning approach that includes micro-lessons, practice exercises, and toolkits. Courses include the following:

  • The Small Business Banking Suite's Basics (two courses)
  • The Small Business Borrowing Suite includes two courses, two exercises, and two toolkits.
  • The Relationship Sales for Small Business Clients Suite includes three courses, two exercises, and a toolkit.
  • Growing Small Business Relationships Suite (two courses, one exercise, and a toolkit) Small Business Products Suite (three courses, one exercise, and a toolkit)
  • Introduction to Analyzing Financial Statements (three courses, one exercise, and one toolkit) Sales Planning Suite
  • Analysis of Personal Tax Return

Conclusion

ABA training certificates represent a significant advancement in the careers of professionals as it seeks to implement the most up-to-date and effective approaches to excel in the banking sector.

The ABA thinks that government policy should respect the variety of businesses and the role of banks as economic development and job creators. 

Rules and regulations must be customized to a bank's charter, operating model, local markets, and risk profile, allowing banks across the country to better serve their clients and communities.

The diverse certificates targeting all aspects of the banking business industry have made ABA a leader in providing such training programs.

This is why those in the banking industry would benefit from the Certificate in Business and Commercial Lending, which provides a thorough understanding of business sectors.

 Furthermore, the primary goal of this certificate is to investigate what to seek when evaluating business and private financial statements and tax returns.

It is worth noting that the training program allows candidates to test at home or another location using live remote proctoring (LRP). Candidates can choose the LRP option when booking their exam date, which is usually one month before the exam window opens.

Researched and authored by Hala Kiwan | LinkedIn

Reviewed and Edited by Raghav Dharmarajan

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