Justification Kit for Emerging Leaders | Annual Convention

Justify Attending ABA’s Annual Convention Virtually with our Live Plus Five Rate 

You recognize the value of attending ABA’s Annual Convention. However, to attend, you’ll need to secure approval from your bank.  By using this justification kit, you’ll find everything you need to present your business case, including a letter template that can be customized to suit your needs.  

Justification Kit: General Tips

1. Return on Investment: Outline how the time and money will help you become a stronger leader, expand your network and grow in your career.
2. Cost-Effective: Not only does the Live Plus Five rate allow your CEO to attend in person, but it also gives virtual access to conference content for five colleagues (your colleagues and/or your bank’s directors) —all for an affordable price. Over 750 emerging leaders benefited from virtual attendance during ABA’s Unconventional Convention. Now is your chance to start making ABA’s Annual Convention an annual event on your calendar.
3. Content Built to Suit Your Needs: From innovative strategies and solutions to leadership expertise and exclusive policy overviews, you’ll get the deep insights needed to help you and your bank evolve with the industry. 

Next Steps

1. Customize the justification letter below to present as part of your formal request.
2. Offer to prepare a short presentation for your CEO to share what you will learn, maximizing your organization’s ROI for your attendance. Mention that conference content can be shared with your colleagues, providing a valuable resource to your entire organization.
3. Be sure to check the registration page for applicable fees. Our Live Plus Five rate is a great way for your CEO to attend in person, while allowing five colleagues to access conference content—both live streamed and on demand—via an interactive virtual platform. 

Sample Justification Letter

< Date >  

Dear <CEO’s name>, 

I am requesting approval to attend ABA’s Annual Convention with you virtually, October 17-19, 2021, as part of the Live Plus Five registration option. 

Having researched education and networking opportunities for emerging leaders, ABA’s Annual Convention provides the deep insights needed to help our bank evolve with our customers and the industry. By attending with you, I’ll be on a path toward growing in my career, becoming a stronger leader and expanding my network.  

The content is top-tier and features speakers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Sessions such as Take the Transformational Banking Journey—Don’t Be Left Behind!, The Future of Work, The “Building Better Lives for Everyone!” Philosophy, and Eliminating Conflict in a Multi-Generational Workforce are just a few of the sessions exploring trends and emerging issues in financial services.

There will also be plenty of opportunities to engage with industry providers throughout the program, allowing me to help find solutions to our bank’s business challenges. 

To top it off, Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost will close out the convention with a bit of funny and personal inspiration.

I have included an outline of the costs below. Please let me know if there is additional information I can provide.  

<The numbers in brackets below will need to be adjusted to reflect the current pricing. All registration fees are listed on the convention’s website>.

Sending five staff to attend live would cost the bank thousands in transportation, housing and meals, in addition to the registration fee. Here is the breakdown of costs when taking advantage of the Live Plus Five rate: 

Live Plus Five: [$XXXX] (each additional colleague after five: $495) 
Airfare for five colleagues: $0 
Lodging for five colleagues: $0 
Meals for five colleagues: $0 

As you can tell, I am extremely enthusiastic about this opportunity and the benefits that both I and <insert bank name> will realize as a result of my attendance. Thank you for your consideration.  

Sincerely,

<your name here>