"The Role of Ex-Im Bank in
Assisting Small Business Exporters"

John Emens currently serves as Ex-Im Bank's senior vice president, small business. Emens is responsible for leading all Ex-Im Bank activities to identify and educate U.S. small business exporters in order to attract them to the Bank's product offerings. He chairs Ex-Im Bank's Small Business Committee and manages Ex-Im Bank's network of regional branches and the units engaged in outreach to minority- and woman-owned businesses, partner identification and training, as well as small business product development. He continues to have a special focus on bringing private sector practices and a client service orientation to Ex-Im Bank.

Emens joined Ex-Im Bank in December, 2002, after retiring from Allfirst Bank (now M&T), Baltimore, MD. During his 32-year banking career, Emens rose to the office of executive vice president, managing all commercial business units of Allfirst. Among those responsibilities was the management of the International Division, which included the establishment of Allfirst's Export Finance Division. Earlier in his career, Emens was the general manager of Allfirst's London branch.

Emens holds a B.A. in history from McDaniel College (formerly Western Maryland College) and served on the college's Board of Trustees for ten years. He is a former member of the boards of The Greater Washington Board of Trade and Greater D.C. Cares, both in Washington. He is also the former vice chair of The Salvation Army Board in Baltimore. He is a retired Army captain who served in Vietnam and received both the Silver and Bronze Star.