Community leadership on display: two tales of banks that demonstrated leadership in their communities: an Alabama bank pitched in after a wave of deadly tornadoes swept across the state; a Connecticut bank took the initiative to bolster future funding for local affordable housing.

• Author: Albro, Walt

COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION. AFFORDABLE HOUSING. These are two issues important to all community banks. In this article, we present examples of two banks that made exceptional contributions in one of these areas.

First, we profile the actions of Bryant Bank, Tuscaloosa, Ala., whose employees pulled together and provided direct person-to-person emergency assistance to nearby communities after a series of deadly tornadoes swept across the state in April 2011.

Second, we focus on Liberty Bank, Middletown, Conn., whose employees went above and beyond the call of duty to facilitate the opening of a new Habitat for Humanity ReStore in their community.

Their stories follow below.

After the Tornadoes Hit, Employees Rushed to Help the Victims

Elizabeth L. Allen

Chief Operating Officer

Bryant Bank, Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Asset Size: $1 billion

What better way is there for a bank to show its strong connection to the community than by pitching in without hesitation when a local natural disaster strikes?

That's what employees at Bryant Bank did last year following a series of deadly tornadoes that swept across the South, hitting hardest in Mississippi, Tennessee and Alabama.

April 27, 2011, was listed by the National Weather Service as the deadliest tornado day in 86 years in the United States. In Alabama alone, 63 tornadoes raged across the state, destroying more than 13,500 dwellings and killing 249 people. The storms struck in the state's northern and central regions. Only the southern region was spared.

The bank has 14 locations in the north, west, central and southern areas of Alabama. The tornadoes passed in close proximity to some of the branches, especially those in Tuscaloosa, but only a single branch suffered damage: the loss of electricity.

Although their initial efforts were unorganized, the bank's 164 employees responded immediately to the emergency. Some employees procured food and water and other supplies and began distributing the materials on foot since roads were impassable. Many employees retrieved chainsaws from home to clear downed trees; others hauled debris or placed tarps on damaged roofs. "It was a reaction to an innate call to do the right thing for the communities the bank serves," says Elizabeth Allen.

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Since it was founded in 2005, the bank has used "true community banking" as a core value and practice. "Bankers are supported and encouraged to lead and actively participate in community betterment activities," says Allen.

Within a few days, the bank developed a more...