After over 10 years of service to Canada’s banking industry, Raymond Protti has today announced his decision to retire as president and CEO of the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA).

Protti has held the post since June 1996. He has led the CBA for two terms and will retire in 2007, once his successor is in place.

“I am making my announcement to allow sufficient time to search for my successor,” said Protti. “I will work with the members of the CBA’s executive council to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.”

The CBA’s executive council expressed their appreciation to Protti for his strong leadership and acknowledged his significant contribution in advancing the interests of its members and the banking industry at large.

“Under Ray Protti’s leadership, the CBA has emerged as a strong, efficient and extremely professional organization noted for the high quality of its research and analysis,” said Fred Tomczyk, vice chairman, corporate operations, TD Bank Financial Group and chairman of the CBA’s executive council. “Ray has proven to be not only an effective communicator of the industry’s issues to government but also the government’s issues and concerns to the industry.”

Prior to joining the CBA, Protti had a career of more than 25 years in the Canadian Public Service holding several senior positions including the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Deputy Minister of Labour, and an officer in the Bank of Canada, the Department of Finance and in the Privy Council Office.

Protti is an accredited Director (ICD.D) of the Institute of Corporate Directors and is the Chairperson of the Institute’s Corporate Governance College. He is currently the member of several boards, including the Toronto Community Foundation, Ryerson University, and the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation. Upon his retirement, Protti intends to continue his work on various boards.