Deteriorating loan underwriting standards in national banks have put national bank directors and others on notice of potentially serious consequences if appropriate action is not taken...

The American Association of Bank Directors ("AABD") announced today that it has named R. Waid Thompson to its Board of Advisors.

Mr. Thompson is the President and owner of RWT Banc Services, LLC, New Orleans, Louisiana, which assists banks to establish and implement a director's sales and incentive program. Mr. Thompson served as Senior Vice President of the Correspondent Banking Division of First NBC, New Orleans from 1993-1997, and Senior Vice President of Compass Bank, Birmingham, Alabama from 1974-1993, in which he managed and coordinated all aspects of business with community, regional and national banks.

"Mr. Thompson's product allows banks of all sizes to provide incentives for bank Board members to help attract business to their banks which can add substantially to the banks' bottom line," said Keith Dalrymple, AABD's President, and President and CEO of Vartan National Bank, Dauphin, Pennsylvania. "With Mr. Thompson on board, AABD members will have Mr. Thompson's program available at a discounted member price."

Founded in 1989, the non-profit American Association of Bank Directors is the only trade group in the United States solely devoted to bank directors and their information, education, and advocacy needs. The Institute for Bank Director Education was established in 1993 as the educational arm of AABD. Its purpose is to act as a clearinghouse for education programs designed for bank and savings institution directors that support the nationally recognized Director Certification Program.