Kenneth Kelly

Kenneth Kelly serves as Chairman and CEO of First Independence Bank, a minority depository institution based in Detroit, Michigan. He is also the Vice Chair of the American Bankers Association, the voice of the nation’s $23.5 trillion banking industry, which is composed of small, regional and large banks that together employ more than 2.1 million people, safeguard $18.6 trillion in deposits and extend loans of nearly $12.3 trillion. Kenneth served as the Chairman of the National Bankers Association from 2018 to 2020 and was a member of the Federal Reserve of Chicago Bank Seventh District Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council (CDIAC) from 2018 to 2020.

Kelly was also selected in 2022 to serve a three-year term on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman’s Advisory Committee on Community Banking, offering advice and recommendations on community banking policy and regulatory matters. He testified as an expert witness before the U.S. Congressional House Financial Services subcommittee, provided input to the full committee during its COVID-19 listening session, and offered guidance to the Secretary of Treasury and White House Staff on the state of minority banks, economic equality, and support for minority businesses.

Kelly served as the chairperson of the Auburn University Engineering Alumni Council from 2020 to 2022. During his tenure, he collaborated with successful alumni to support research and development, fundraising, and academic achievements at the University. In 2019, the Academic Excellence Reception Area in the College of Engineering’s Brown Kopel Building at Auburn was named in his honor. Additionally, he was the Commencement Speaker at Auburn University in April 2021.

Before his banking career, Kelly had a 27-year career as an electric utility business leader at Southern Company, including roles in negotiating acquisitions of large renewable solar projects valued at $3.4 billion. He received several accolades, including induction as the 137th Distinguished Auburn Engineer in 2018 and induction into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in February 2020. He also spoke at the 2020 Milken Global Institute Forum and was honored by the NYSE as chairman of Grow Michigan II, a fund supporting small business growth in Michigan, with the ringing of the opening bell on December 14, 2020. Kelly is an author, with a book titled “Prepared Before I Let Go,” and a producer of a documentary called “Economics, Politics, & Culture.”

Kelly’s educational background includes an electrical engineering degree from Auburn University and completion of the executive MBA program at the University of Alabama.