Milestones
March 31, 1999 - 9 Banks: American Bank of Albania; Arabic-Islamic Bank; Dardania Bank; Fefad Bank; International Commercial Bank; Italian-Albanian Bank; National Commercial Bank; Savings Bank; and Tirana Bank, assemble and establish the creation of the Albanian Bankers Club. The first Board of Directors shall be composed by: Chairman Mr Giancarlo Rizzola, General Director of the Italian-Albanian Bank and Vice Chairman Mr Lorenzo Roncari, President and CEO of the American Bank of Albania. 27 March 2001 - Four other banks: Alpha Bank; National Bank of Greece; Intercommercial Bank; and First Investment Bank - Albania Branch, join the Founders of the Albanian Bankers Club, and together decide on the transformation of this the latter into the Albanian Association of Banks (AAB). They amend the Charter and elect the new members of the Board of Directors: Chairman Mr Ardian Fullani, CEO of Italian-Albanian Bank and Vice Chairman Mr Dimitris Karavias, General Director of Tirana Bank. 12 December 2002 – The first technical committees start gathering, with members representing all AAB member banks: the Operational Committee, the Legal Committee and the Financial Committee. 26 March 2003 – The Assembly of Members undertake some significant changes in the Charter of the Association, among which the possibility of re-election of Board Members with a two-year term, and the establishment of AAB Secretariat as a separate body. 23 April 2003 - Based on its demand and upon fulfillment of the necessary criteria conditions, the Association of Banks is accepted as “Associate Member” of the European Banking Federation in Brussels, Belgium. This membership was achieved thanks to the cooperation with neighboring countries banks associations of Italy, Greece, Bulgaria and Croatia, and marks the most significant effort in the cooperation with international banking organizations and integration in the European banking industry. January 2004 - AAB along with 6 regional Banking Associations sign a Memorandum of Understanding and establish a forum that shall aim at supporting the banking industry in the Balkans, namely the InterBalkan Forum of Banking Associations. March 2005 – The Charter and structure of the Associated are amended and for the first time a Secretary General is appointed (Mr Elvin Meka), marking a further step towards the more qualitative functioning of the AAB Secretariat, in compliance with international banking associations models. Since January 2005 the Executive Committee is Chaired by Mr Seyhan Pencabligil, with Vice Chairman Mr Steven Grunerund.
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