The event came a few weeks after Carver President and CEO Donald Felix participated in a roundtable discussion led by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in New York City. The conversation focused on how community banks—especially those designated as Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs)—can drive small business growth, promote household financial wellness, and anchor Main Street prosperity.
During the Nasdaq ceremony, Carver President and CEO Donald Felix offered the following remarks:
"It's a tremendous honor to be here this morning at Nasdaq—here in New York City, the financial capital of the world—and especially meaningful to ring the Opening Bell in honor of Juneteenth. This day reminds us all of the strength, sacrifice, and progress woven into the fabric of the American story. This story belongs to all of us. As a day centered on the freedoms we all enjoy as Americans, it is also a day that calls on all to continue the work of expanding access and opportunity.
Carver was founded in 1948 by visionary community leaders, both men and women, from Brooklyn and Harlem who understood the power of financial access and the freedoms that it creates. The everyday freedoms of owning a home, starting a business, and building up our communities. Our founders established a bank to serve those historically excluded from the financial system—a mission that remains just as critical today.
At Carver, we have expanded on that mission, and today, we are dedicated to meeting the everyday banking needs of everyday New Yorkers who are working hard to get ahead. We continue to support the vitality of the neighborhoods we serve—delivering accessible financial services to individuals and small- to mid-sized businesses.
We distinguish ourselves by reinvesting a majority of every deposit dollar back into the communities we serve, with an intentional focus on lending that creates jobs and drives local economic growth. We are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution. Jointly, we understand the challenges and needs of rural and urban communities and how community banks serve as the backbone of America's middle class.
As a first-generation American born in New York to immigrant parents, I am proud to lead an institution that has consistently supported under-resourced communities that strive everyday toward the American dream. I grew up living near, commuting past, and learning about Carver's branches. This bank's story is personal—and so is its future.
In our 77th year, Carver isn't new to community banking, and while it takes work to continue the mission, we recognize it is too important not to and we are moving with the diligence, energy, and focus of a start-up. We are transforming to meet the evolving needs of our communities better—expanding our lending, investing in technology, and building a more sustainable path to profitability and impact.
To our shareholders, employees, communities, partners, and regulators, thank you for supporting and standing with Carver.
We're proud to be here—and we're just getting started!"
Transforming a mission-driven community bank back to profitability and growth is hard work—but it's necessary work. When we do it well, our communities do well. Carver is committed to this path, knowing that to remain competitive and relevant, we must continue evolving—delivering trusted financial solutions that help everyday New Yorkers move forward.
About Carver Bancorp, Inc.
Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) is the holding company for Carver Federal Savings Bank, a Harlem-based community bank committed to meeting the financial needs of everyday New Yorkers who are working hard to get ahead and supporting the vitality of the neighborhoods it serves by delivering accessible financial services to individuals and small- to mid-sized businesses. Through its online banking platform and physical branches, Carver serves customers across nine states, from Massachusetts to Virginia, including Washington, D.C.
Founded in 1948 to address barriers to financial access, Carver has a long-standing legacy of serving historically under-resourced communities. The U.S. Department of the Treasury has designated Carver as both a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Minority Depository Institution (MDI) in recognition of its leadership in advancing financial inclusion and local economic empowerment.
For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.carverbank.com. Be sure to connect with Carver on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from those included in these statements due to a variety of factors, risks, and uncertainties. More information about these factors, risks, and uncertainties is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media:
Michael Herley for Carver
203.308.1409
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SOURCE Carver Bancorp, Inc.
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