Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association Announces Graduates of the 2026 Mid-Atlantic School of Banking

Charlottesville, VA – Eighty-nine bankers graduated from the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking (“the School”) in Charlottesville on August 7, 2026. The three-year school is sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association, which is comprised of the Maryland, D.C. and Virginia Bankers Associations. The School represents the merger of the former Virginia and Maryland banking schools following the associations’ merger in 2024. Held at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, the School is designed to empower current and emerging leaders with advanced knowledge, practical skills and strategic insight. 

Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association and Virginia Bankers Association President & CEO Bruce Whitehurst commented, “The Mid-Atlantic School of Banking represents a new chapter in banking education, combining the strengths and traditions of two respected state banking schools into a premier leadership development experience for bankers across our region. We congratulate this year’s graduates and look forward to their continued contributions to the industry and the communities they serve.” 

“These students have developed a range of skills that both enhance current performance and prepare them for future leadership opportunities within their institutions,” added Tisha Edwards, Mid-Atlantic Bankers Association EVP and Maryland Bankers Association president & CEO. “Equally important are the relationships they have built with peers from across the Mid-Atlantic region. On behalf of the Associations, Trustees, faculty, and staff, we are proud of their accomplishments and excited to see the impact they will make throughout their careers.” 

Jennifer Huffman, senior vice president, manager of Solutions Banking at Atlantic Union Bank and co-president of the Class of 2026, said, “For the past three years, we have shared some of the most challenging and rewarding years of our professional lives. We’ve learned from incredible professors, engaged in immersive experiences, collaborated with remarkable peers, and worked through a rigorous curriculum. We graduate together as stronger professionals, stronger leaders and stronger people because of the choices we made along the way.”  

“As the first graduating class of the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking, we have had the privilege of being part of something new,” added co-president of the Class of 2026 Joanna Barbee, vice president, digital banking manager, Shore United Bank. “We have helped establish a foundation and set a standard for the classes that will follow This diploma represents much more than completed coursework. It represents commitment, perseverance, and a dedication to continuous learning. The banking industry continues to evolve, and the lessons we have learned here will help us navigate change, lead with confidence, and create new opportunities for those we serve.” 

“As the first graduating class of the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking, we have had the privilege of being part of something new,” added co-president of the Class of 2026 Joanna Barbee, vice president, digital banking manager, Shore United Bank. “We have helped establish a foundation and set a standard for the classes that will follow This diploma represents much more than completed coursework. It represents commitment, perseverance, and a dedication to continuous learning. The banking industry continues to evolve, and the lessons we have learned here will help us navigate change, lead with confidence, and create new opportunities for those we serve.” 

The Mid-Atlantic School of Banking provides a multidimensional educational experience in banking. Students complete three one-week summer sessions and home study assignments designed to reinforce classroom learning and provide practical application within their institutions. The program progresses from foundational banking knowledge and leadership awareness to applied learning and culminates with the American Bankers Association BankExec Simulation, where students work in teams as senior bank officers making strategic operating, lending and pricing decisions. 

Mid-Atlantic School of Banking 2026 Graduates: 

About the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking 

The Mid-Atlantic School of Banking is a premier leadership development program for bankers across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Following the merger of the Virginia and Maryland bankers associations in 2024, the schools were reunited under the Mid-Atlantic School of Banking brand, combining the best elements of both programs into a single educational offering serving the region’s banking industry. 

About the D.C. Bankers Association 

Founded in 2023, the D.C. Bankers Association is the voice of the District’s banking industry, which is composed of 34 small, regional and large banks operating 183 branches and offices. Together, the D.C. banking industry employs approximately 4,768 people and safeguards $64 billion in deposits. 

About the Maryland Bankers Association

The Maryland Bankers Association (MBA) represents FDIC-insured community, regional, and national banks, employing thousands of Marylanders and holding $194.8 billion in deposits in over 1,100 branches across our State. The Maryland banking industry serves customers across the State and provides an array of financial services including residential mortgage lending, business banking, estates and trust services, consumer banking, and more. To learn more about the MBA, click here.

About the Virginia Bankers Association

Founded in 1893, the Virginia Bankers Association is the voice of the Commonwealth’s banking industry, which is composed of 110 small, regional and large banks operating 1,826 branches and offices. Together, the Virginia banking industry employs approximately 58,105 people and safeguards $296 billion in deposits.