AJC Recognizes Summit Resident With Human Relations Award

The following was submitted by AJC:

The Metro New Jersey Region of AJC honored Kevin Cummings, president and chief executive officer of Investors Bank, one of Fortunes “Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies of 2012,” with its prestigious National Human Relations Award on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Hilton at Short Hills.

The event was attended by over 170 of Cummings colleagues, clients, friends and family who shared examples of Kevin’s dedication, hard work and professionalism.  Kevin’s dinner co-chair, Joseph Moeller from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, asked the attendees to applaud Kevin, “a man who truly has made a difference.”

Cummings began his opening remarks honoring those who came before him, noting, “the distinguished list of prior recipients—last year’s honoree-- Chris Martin of Provident Bank, Ben Plotkin of KBW and Gerry Lipkin of Valley National Bank.”  Cummings continued by discussing the importance of community, quoting Churchill, who said, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” In speaking of Investors Bank, he shared that it was not only important that “we be great Bankers, we need to be great Community Bankers.  We want to be known as the BANK that puts COMMUNITY back into BANKING.” 

In support of AJC, Cummings shared with his guests that, “Only by serving others, can we be successful.  More importantly, only by making a difference for all we serve – our customers, our employees and our communities – can we be significant. It is this philosophy that guides AJC in New Jersey and throughout the world.  This organization serves many -- from supporting the Jewish homeland of Israel, to promoting the need for American energy security and to speaking out for the rights of the oppressed all over the globe.”

Cummings closed by reminding the audience that, “AJC cannot do it alone.  Only by working together, can we hope to realize their vision of a day when all human beings are treated with dignity and respect.”   

AJC was founded to prevent the infringement of the civil and religious rights of Jews, and to alleviate the consequences of persecution.  Since its inception, AJC recognized that the well-being of the Jewish people is best assured when the human rights of all people are respected.  Our work in human relations continues today, and one of the most important aspects of AJC’s efforts to promote human relations is to recognize those community and business leaders who have made business leadership, service to the community, and philanthropy an essential part of their life work. 

This year’s honoree, Kevin Cummings, has led the Senior Executive Management team in guiding Investors Bank through its strategic expansion and evolution into a full-service community and commercial bank.  Under this current Executive Team’s leadership, Investors is experiencing significant growth while remaining financially strong and well capitalized.  The Bank’s outstanding level of performance was recognized as one of the top 25 performing, publicly traded, small-cap banks in the U.S. on Sandler O’Neill’s “Bank & Thrift Sm-All Stars” report for three consecutive years beginning in 2011. In addition, Cummings received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® 2011 New Jersey Award for his success in transforming the Bank into a growth company. 

Prior to joining Investors Bank, Cummings had a 26-year career with the independent accounting firm of KPMG LLP. He was an audit partner in the Financial Services practice in the New York office and lead partner on a major commercial banking client. Cummings also worked in the New Jersey community bank practice for over 20 years serving clients such as Summit Bank, Valley National Bank, Provident Bank and Hudson City Bank.

A 1976 graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont with a BA in Economics, Cummings was the recipient of the Harry M. Fife Award for Excellence in Economics and Athletics. While at Middlebury, he played basketball and baseball, and ended his basketball career as the school’s all-time leading scorer. After college graduation he earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Rutgers University School of Business. He is a certified public accountant and has been a frequent speaker at seminars on topics ranging from mergers and acquisitions, to income taxes and management reporting on internal controls.

Born and raised in Jersey City, Cummings is one of five siblings. He and his wife of 32 years, Patricia, are residents of Summit, NJ.  Mr. Cummings has served as a Commissioner on the Summit Board of Recreation. He is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee at St. Peter’s Prep, a Jesuit high school in Jersey City, former Chairman of the Board and current Trustee of the Summit Speech School, a Trustee of The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, a Trustee of the Liberty Science Center, and the former Chairman of the Board and current member of the Executive Committee of the New Jersey Bankers Association.  He is also a board member of both the Independent College Fund of New Jersey and the All Stars Project of New Jersey. Most recently, he agreed to serve as a member of the Development Leadership Council of Morris Habitat for Humanity.

In his spare time he has coached youth basketball in Summit at the AAU, recreation and CYO level, and has served as the Athletic Director of St. Theresa’s of Avila. He and Patricia have four children: Katie, a graduate of Bowdoin College in Maine, Kevin, a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Mary, a graduate of Colby College, and William, a junior at the College of the Holy Cross.

AJC thanks Melvin Feigenbaum, President of Ocean Healthcare Management, Joseph Moeller, Managing Director of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company and Paul Silverman, Principal of SILVERMAN for serving as the Award Dinner Co- Chairs.

The work of AJC is as vital and relevant today as it was at its founding in 1906.  Whether building human bridges of mutual respect and understanding among diverse ethnic and religious groups, supporting Israel’s right to exist in peace and security, fighting the scourge of international terrorism, anti-Semitism and all forms of hatred and extremism, or defending democracy, religious freedom and human rights, AJC is at the forefront of the most crucial issues of the day. For more information about AJC, please contact the New Jersey office at (973) 379-7844 or hollandera@ajc.org.