The School of Marketing: It's More than Just Good Training.

• Author: Albro, Walt
• Position: ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

It's not just the things you learn in class but also the opportunities available though networking that make the ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management so valuable, graduates says.

James W Pierson, senior vice president of the City Bank and Trust Co., Natchitoches, La., says the classroom work gave him an excellent overview of how marketing fits in with banking's operations side. That was helpful to him because at the time, he was new to marketing after spending 20 years as a consumer and commercial loan officer. City Bank has about $160 million in assets.

The ability to network with other students was equally valuable, he says. "I probably communicate with other students at least once every two weeks." Sometimes he asks questions; sometimes, he gives answers. Once another student asked him about his experience with a particular vendor. Pierson warned that his bank had had a bad experience with that vendor. His warning saved the other bank from signing a contract that would have paid out thousands of dollars. 'That telephone call alone saved the bank...