NYBA President and CEO Clare Cusack '96 (Image provided)
The Board of Directors of the New York Bankers Association (NYBA) announced today that the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) has selected SUNY Geneseo alum and current NYBA President and CEO Clare Cusack ’96 with its highest honor, the Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award will be presented at the AASCU's 2025 Annual Conference for Presidents and Chancellors in Nashville, TN, in November.
The award recognizes an individual, known nationally or internationally, who has made a significant contribution to the public, intellectual, or cultural life of the nation.
Cusack, who majored in political science at Geneseo and serves as the vice chair of the Geneseo Foundation Board, has been frequently recognized for her leadership in the banking industry and in non-profit association management. In 2020, she became the first woman to serve as president and CEO of the NYBA in its 131-year history. In 2024, Cusack was named Chief Executive of the Year by the New York Society of Association Executives.
Cusack has demonstrated a deep and enduring commitment to service, philanthropy, and expanding opportunity for others. In her five years as president and CEO of NYBA, she has emerged as a nationally recognized voice on financial inclusion and economic empowerment. Through her leadership, NYBA has forged innovative statewide partnerships connecting banks and elected officials to deliver financial literacy education directly to schools, families, and community organizations. She also created the Association’s Commitment to Community program, which mobilizes bankers from across New York to engage in hands-on service projects wherever NYBA convenes.
A sought-after speaker and advocate, Cusack has advanced representation for women and minorities in financial services and championed policies that expand access to banking for all. Her work reflects both a belief in the power of financial knowledge to transform lives and a lifelong dedication to strengthening the civic and cultural fabric of communities across the nation.
“We are immensely proud of Clare Cusack and her extraordinary achievements,” said SUNY Geneseo President Melinda Treadwell. “Clare’s leadership and dedication exemplify the very best of what it means to be a Geneseo graduate—using intellect, integrity, and purpose to make a lasting impact on society. Her recognition with AASCU’s Distinguished Alumnus Award is a tremendous honor for her and a reflection of the excellence that defines our Geneseo community.”
“Clare is a visionary leader with a long list of achievements in law, business, public service, and community service. She has led transformational change in how the banking industry is viewed because of her deeply held commitment to financial empowerment for all New Yorkers. She has inspired the next generation of banking leaders to uphold these values as the foundation of the industry’s future. We are very proud of Clare and are gratified by this well-deserved, national recognition of her contributions,” said Martin K. Birmingham, President and CEO, Five Star Bank and Chair of NYBA.
“I am deeply honored to join the distinguished group of awardees who have been recognized with this honor over the past 50 years. To be counted among them is profoundly humbling. I am proud every day to serve the New York Bankers Association and the banks that strengthen communities across our state. And I am equally proud to be a graduate of SUNY Geneseo, where my commitment to service was first shaped and continues today through my work on the Geneseo Foundation Board. In the words of our alma mater song, ‘with our life’s work we’ll repay’—I hope in some small way this recognition reflects that spirit,” said Cusack.
Adapted from the NYBA press release.