Community Dividend welcomes Dorothy Bridges, who joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis on July 29, 2011, as senior vice president over community development and outreach. In her new role, Bridges leads the Minneapolis Fed's efforts to facilitate interaction and partnerships among financial institutions, community organizations, and government units throughout the Ninth Federal Reserve District.
Bridges most recently served as president and CEO of City First Bank in Washington, D.C., and is well known to many in the Ninth District for serving as president and CEO of Franklin National Bank in Minneapolis from 1999 to 2008. She has more than 30 years of banking experience, much of it centered on community lending and economic development initiatives. Bridges began her career with First Bank System in Missoula, Mont., in 1979. After leaving First Bank in 1993, she served as a senior consultant with Barefoot, Marrinan & Associates, an Ohio-based bank regulatory compliance firm. In 1995, she joined Minneapolis-based Community Reinvestment Fund, USA, a private nonprofit corporation that securitizes economic development loans for secondary market investments. She served as the organization's vice president and chief credit officer, responsible for business development and credit underwriting.
Bridges is well versed in the work of the Fed, having served on the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and as a member of the Consumer Advisory Council of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. She has also served as a member of the American Bankers Association board of directors and chair of its America's Community Bankers Council, and as a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's community bankers advisory council. In addition, Bridges has served as a board member for several prominent foundations and nonprofit organizations, including the Minneapolis Foundation, the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches, and Twin Cities LISC. Currently, she is chair of the board of directors of the Northwest Area Foundation and a board member of the National Endowment for Financial Education.
