When I was a young community banker, I volunteered for a program sponsored by our state bankers’ association called “Banker in Every Classroom.” This was in 2012, when public opinion of bankers was at an all time low following the Great Recession. As we know, this criticism often unfairly targeted community bankers — professionals who weathered the recession but did little to cause it. The program helped improve students’ financial literacy while also defending the reputation of bankers who were essential to their local communities.

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