ABA School of Bank Marketing adds three new courses to curriculum.

• Position: School of Bank Marketing and Management

Three new courses have been added to this year's ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management (SOBMM), which will be held May 12-19 at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

The new courses include:

* Public Relations/Communications. The course will deliver the fundamentals of implementing a strong communication program, with emphasis on incorporating Web 2.0 technology--blogs, social media sites, Web tactics--successfully.

* Developing Financial Innovation. The world is changing rapidly and the question is whether your bank is adapting--for both customers and employees. This session explores those changes and how to make yourself and your bank more innovative.

* Economic and Public Policy Issues and Influences, Led by ABA experts, students will receive the latest legislative and regulatory issues affecting banks, and learn how to play a role as informed managers.

The new courses are necessary to keep pace with changes in the industry, according to Alisha J.R. Johnson, CFMP, chairperson of the ABA School of Bank Marketing & Management Advisory Board. "The fundamentals of bank marketing remain constant," she says. "The critical components of a marketing plan, for instance, don't typically change from year to year. However, the strategies and tactics to employ these plans must keep pace with marketing trends in the banking industry and other verticals to remain competitive."

Lessons learned by marketers at the school provide invaluable knowledge as these marketers continue their career path, notes Johnson. Students are taught by a faculty of industry experts and experienced instructors who are leaders in their fields. The curriculum is completed in two intensive one-week sessions. Between Year One and Two, students are directed to complete a marketing plan that can be utilized by their organization. As many school graduates will attest, part of the value of attending the school rests with the invaluable network of professional colleagues each student develops. The two-year curriculum will also prepare marketers to sit for their Certified Financial Marketing professional (CFMP) designation.

The campus is...