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James C. Ballentine
James Ballentine became the American Bankers Association's Director, Grassroots and Community Outreach in June of 2005. Since August 2000, he served as the Director of Community Development and Director of the Center for Community Development. As the Director of the Center, James is part of ABA's Government Relations office and leads a team that manages community development, housing and small business issues for the Association and he serves as one of ABA's leading experts on the issues of predatory lending, emerging and immigrant market outreach and the unbanked. The Center's staff develops projects and services designed to help lenders find constructive ways to encourage and promote sound lending, equal access to credit and attendant banking services, and investment in minority and low-and moderate income communities.
Before ABA, James served as the Senior Advisor to the Deputy Administrator at the U.S. Small Business Administration and later as the Associate Deputy Administrator for Government Contracting and Business Development at the SBA, responsible for coordinating the Administration's small business minority development programs. Prior to SBA James worked nine years on Capitol Hill as the Chief of Staff and Legislative Director (1993 – 1998) to Maryland Congressman Albert Wynn and as Legislative Director (1989-1992) to New York Congressman Frank Horton.
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