[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 15993]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO ALBERT KELLY

 Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate and 
commend an outstanding citizen of my State.
  Next Tuesday, October 25, Albert ``Kell'' Kelly of Bristow, OK, will 
take office as the new chairman of the American Bankers Association. 
Mr. Kelly is CEO Of SpiritBank in Bristow, part of a family-owned 
cluster of businesses which includes farming, ranching and banking 
enterprises. In fact, even now, Kell continues to work his 900-acre 
ranch whenever he is not traveling.
  Mr. Kelly is equally active in community affairs. He once served as 
an assistant district attorney and also was chairman of the Oklahoma 
Bankers Association, and he is currently chairman of the Oklahoma 
Turnpike Commission. No wonder Kell Kelly has been called the most 
influential non-politician in Oklahoma. Education, transportation, and 
local business development are all key elements of Kell's community 
involvement. He understands that the purpose of a community bank is to 
build a community.
  Kell is also a champion of empowerment. Five years ago he started a 
program among his bank employees, teaching them how to write letters 
and speak with government officials about public policy issues. So far, 
65 SpiritBank employees have been trained to be volunteer citizen-
activists regarding the various issues that concern them.
  Kell's insight as a community banker will be vital in rolling back 
the excessive intrusion into the day-to-day business of banking that is 
stifling our Nation's economic recovery
  Banking is not only a barometer of economic health but also one of 
the key drivers of an economy. Under Kell Kelly's leadership, we can 
expect the American Bankers Association to be a strong advocate for 
more sustainable and more responsible banking policy and, God willing, 
to lead the way to a strong and lasting economic recovery for our 
Nation.

                          ____________________