Title: President, Leader Bank, N.A.

Age: 64

Education: Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, Punjab University, India, 1973; master’s degree in public administration, Punjab University, 1976; OPM certification, Harvard Business School, 2010

Residence: Belmont

Earlier this year, Arlington-based Leader Bank ranked among the healthiest in the country, with a so-called “Texas ratio” of .00169 — an indicator of few problem loans and minimal risk of failure, according to the financial information firm Sageworks.

That could only have been imagined when Sushil Tuli launched the local lender in 2002, a time when numerous community banks were being swallowed up by larger institutions. Already running a successful mortgage company, Tuli attributes the bank’s growth to skills he learned while enrolled at Harvard Business School’s executive education program, from which he tapped a few professors to join the bank’s board. He also had the expertise of his wife (who, at 54, succumbed to cancer two years ago) to run the mortgage company — “better than me,” he notes. Following him in the business is Jay Tuli, the oldest of three grown sons.

With $846 million in assets at the close of 2014, Tuli describes Leader, which is based in Cambridge, as a small family business akin to the neighborhood convenience store or pharmacy, albeit one with some prime locations. In June, the bank put down new stakes with a branch in Boston’s Innovation District. There, Tuli sat down with Business Journal correspondent Robin Washington.

A lot of the people who work in the Innovation District can do their work anywhere in the world. Is there an advantage to being geographically located here? There definitely is. Five, six years ago, it used to be a parking lot. You would come here and park your car and walk downtown. It has evolved. Thriving businesses are here. It’s becoming a neighborhood. There are apartment buildings, there are condominiums.

There are trees. There are trees, and some of the best restaurants in the city. So we felt that there was a need for a bank and we wanted to open a branch in Boston and we figured that this is the right place. And the proof is in five or six weeks, we had a $10 million branch already. So that’s true, you can do business virtually anywhere, but people still like to go to a bank, meet with a personal banker. The day we opened, (customers) stopped by. They said, “Oh, we can drop off mortgage payments here. We can deposit checks here.” So there was a need for a bank to be here, and it’s good that we are that bank.

So you have a geographic niche. What other niches do you have that you think that larger banks are missing out on? Being a small bank, we have the ability to develop products very easily and quickly. We don’t have the big bank thing where it has to go through so many layers. One is our Zeugma Rewards Account (the name is a figure of speech in which a word applies to two other meanings; e.g.: “He went fishing/he caught two fish and a cold.”) You have your direct deposit with us and it will pay a 2 percent interest rate. Also, we will reimburse you up to $15 for ATM transactions from another bank.

We started a program called Z rent. Small landlords can collect rents using our technology so they don’t have to get checks every month. We have for business customers a debit card that pays half a percent back every month to them. We have no-fee checking accounts, which is a big thing.

Is that a loss leader? It does cost you something to maintain the accounts.We’ll do a free checking account for you, but then you know us. You’re buying a house, you’re going to come and get your mortgage from us. You’re going to get your car loan from us, and we’re going to make money there. So this is the investment we make by offering free checking accounts. It’s not such a big loss leader because people have money. People maintain big balances here. The total balances are more than what it costs.

Did you have mentors in your career? When I came here, I worked in a bank and one of the persons I reported to really mentored me quite a bit. Not only on how to be a good businessman, but also the American way of living. His name is Peter Conrad. Also, the dean of Harvard Business School, Nitin Nohria. He’s a good friend. He was on my board and a co-founder with me.

So this is just a class assignment? Yeah, really.

If you couldn’t be a banker, what would you be? When I was growing up in India, I wanted to get a master’s in public administration, and I did that.

At what age did you know you wanted a master’s of public administration?Most kids don’t know what that is. As I was growing up, my dream was to be a politician in India. I thought if I can get my education, I can be one of the clean politicians. But after I did my master’s, I decided I was going to go to the U.S.A., which is the land of opportunity. I came here and I got my first job in a bank. I said, OK, I like banking, and I want to open my own bank some day.

How would you describe your bank to people back in India? It’s a culturally different thing. In India, the banks were nationalized in the ’60s. So when I told them that I’m opening a bank, it was hard to understand: “How do you open a bank? What does your bank do? Can you take deposits? Can you make loans?” But now in India they allow private banks. And once they understood, they took pride in that; a family member has opened a bank.

Could you open a branch in Punjab? No. The culture in India and the U.S.A. is completely different. Indians who are successful in the U.S.A., we are successful only because it’s the U.S.A. It’s easier to get the licenses, get the positions, and to prove that you can do good. In India, it’s such a big population, there’s just so much competition, and the political system is not that great.

What do you do for fun? You have to take some time off. I have a home in Miami. So in winter months if I’m not busy here, I go there. I like to ride a bike, I go to the gym, I have friends, go out to dinner, travel.

Is your cycling serious? No just for fun. But going to the gym is serious. I exercise every day. I take it very seriously.

And diet too? People are always looking for the magic food or the magic exercise program. You have to do both. There’s none. It’s determination.

Is there a person from history you would like to meet? And where in Boston would you take him or her? I enjoyed getting to know the Kennedy family here. If President Kennedy was still alive, I would want to meet with him. He was so influential for people like me to come to this country, opening up the opportunities of America. We were growing up listening to him, reading about him.

Do you remember where you were when he was assassinated? I was in college. I remember we were just completely glued to the TV.

And where would I take him? I’d bring him to my Innovation branch here. And show him you created the opportunities for us, and we are thankful.

source: http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/print-edition/2015/08/07/outside-the-box-sushil-tuli-of-leader-bank.html

By Deirdre Fernandes Globe Staff

Arlington-based Leader Bank has joined the suburban migration into Boston, opening its first branch in the city this month in the Seaport district.

Leader’s branch on the first floor of the Vertex Pharmaceuticals building on the waterfront is the bank’s first venture outside of Middlesex County.

The Seaport district is at the “epicenter” of the city’s growth and innovation economy, said Sushil Tuli, the bank’s president. And the bank is hoping to grab small business customers who have set up shop in many of the towers that have sprung up in the neighborhood in recent years, he said.

Boston itself has become a destination for suburban banks, drawn by the prestige of having a capital city address and to the city’s economic growth.

But unlike downtown Boston, where national players such as Bank of America and even small community institutions such as Wellesley Bank, have staked out prominent corners, the Seaport isn’t swamped with banks, Tuli said.

Santander Bank, Radius Bank, and Boston Private Bank and Trust have offices in the Seaport. But Bank of America only has an ATM and Hyde Park-based Blue Hills Bank has its name on a concert pavilion in the neighborhood.

Leader is incorporating newer technology into its Seaport branch. For example, the ATMs spit out cash in smaller denominations of $5s and $1s. In an area where new buildings have replaced old parking lots, customers may need small bills to tip the valet who has to park their car, Tuli said.

Boston Globe June 17^th 2015 Leader Bank Grand Opening

Source: http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2015/06/17/arlington-leader-bank-opens-seaport/6jyI4d7olVmO5b9rmuEKgP/story.html?s_campaign=8315

Other posts include:

Banker & Tradesman Leader Bank Opening June 19^th

http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/news164401.html#sthash.dAWyp3no.dpuf

India New England News

http://www.indianewengland.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications::Article&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=F9174ACEDE4C483989BF211338416966

PHILLIPS REVELS IN HER ROLE AS BOSTON’S MOST UNCONVENTIONAL NETWORKER

Who in the world would host an event focusing on inclusion entitled “White Men Who Can Jump”?

Even better, who could get 12 white, male power brokers — including Boston Globe and Red Sox owner John Henry and Mayor Marty Walsh — in a Convention Center room together, laud them for breaking down racial and cultural barriers, then hold them accountable for continuing to create opportunities to all?

Colette Phillips, that’s who. Those who know Phillips wouldn’t be surprised by the success, or title, of last year’s gathering. And if you don’t know her, she’ll readily introduce herself, and have you stick around to meet other movers and shakers. It could be one of the U.S. presidents or corporate board chairs in the photos lining the walls of her State Street conference room overlooking Boston’s Custom’s House.

“Bringing together people of all backgrounds, in the same room, for doing business with each other — that’s what it’s all about,” she says, referring to Get Konnected, a monthly professional and social multicultural networking event that’s her latest venture.

“It’s taking Boston, a city that is so siloed, and getting people of all backgrounds to come together and network together across industries. Your network is your net worth.” Phillips recently connected with Boston Business Journal correspondent Robin Washington and spoke about her time in Boston and mentors.

Your first job was as press secretary to a prime minister (of Antigua.) Isn’t that the last job for a lot of people?

I was the first woman in the English-speaking Caribbean to have that job. I also worked in television because in Antigua the TV station is government owned, so I had a weekly television show.

It sounds like you were having fun, getting paid and doing something meaningful. Why did you leave?

I broke up with my fiancé. I thought it would be cathartic to go back to school. I went back to get my master’s in communication.

So you came back to Emerson … and I stayed. The experience I had with the whole busing thing inspired me. If you’re going to complain, you should step up and say I don’t like this and I’m going to change it. My whole business has been about breaking down barriers. Who was your first public relations client?

The Royal Sonesta Hotel. I had gone to pitch them initially and they said they needed a PR person to come in and be on board. At the end of nine months, I said to them, “Look, I can give you the same great service as a consultant as I’ve given to you. I don’t really need to be here five days a week.”

If you weren’t a publicist, what would you be?

I’d be a therapist. I love helping people solve their issues. The work that I do to a great extent is about really helping people to solve their challenges around their brand, around engagement, around connecting with people.

Why is it “Get Konnected” with a K?

Because I first created Kaleidoscope (a multicultural resource guide.) The other thing was when I tried to register it with a “C” it was already taken. It was about networking for computers and what-not. This will be my legacy in Boston, that I created an event getting people of all backgrounds … to come together and network with each other, across cultural lines, sexes and industries.

To hear more from this interview,
go to: http://www.bizjournals.com/
boston/video/

Photo Credit: NA

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh; Frederica Williams, President and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center; Boston City Councilor Tito Jackson; Colette Phillips, President and CEO of Colette Phillips Communications

Photo Credit: NA

Frederica Williams, President and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center; Boston Mayor Marty Walsh

Why are we surprised by the racially motivated shooting of nine black people in a South Carolina church? And what can we do about it? I’m not talking about sitting around, wringing our hands and pontificating. What can we do to truly make a difference? What sort of action plan can we develop to change the racially charged environment that has made racially motivated hatred and violence increasingly common in America?

First, let’s examine the environment that apparently shaped the suspect, a 21-year-old white man, and motivated him to kill nine innocent parishioners at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. What happened in his life? He was quoted as saying “blacks are raping ourwomen and taking over ourcountry.” Our country? Whose country? If we want to be completely accurate, the only people who have the right to refer to the United States of America as “our country” are the Native Americans, since this is a country comprised of immigrants.

The environment in which he was raised is one where the Confederate flag flies over the State House. Where the streets are named after generals who fought in the Civil War to keep black people enslaved. Think about how egregious and outrageous it would be if Holocaust survivors in America were forced to live in an environment where people fly the Nazi flag. The issue is supposed to be one of free speech. Really? The Confederate flag represents the most reprehensive period of our history. As a black person in South Carolina, you look up and see a symbol of a government and a culture that denied you your rights and reminds you that your ancestors were forcibly enslaved. It’s also a reminder to white people that they arethe superior people. Given this environment, why are we surprised that this 21-year-old allegedly turned into a machine of mass destruction? He grew up with all the trappings that enforce a racist point of view.

This racist environment isn’t limited to South Carolina or the deep South. There are purveyors of hatred on the radio and on television. And how do many media outlets and talk-show hosts portray mass murderers? We hear some of them described as “a lone wolf” or “a soft-spoken loner.” And yet if a shooter is black or of color, he’s more likely to be described as a “thug,” an “animal,” or a “terrorist.”

How do we begin to change this environment? We can call for South Carolina to stop flying the Confederate flag over the State House. This shouldn’t be a black initiative. It shouldn’t be a white initiative. For us to move past an environment that has become increasingly tinged with racism, people of good conscience of all colors and religions are going to have to take a stand together. We have to take action and demand change — not just sit around and wring our hands.

All of us must join forces to change the political, educational and economic environment. A good model of how to do this was articulated by Atlanta’s first elected black mayor, the late Maynard H. Jackson. He called his plan “the three Bs — the Book, the Ballot and the Buck.”

First, the Book. We have to make sure we give young black people the quality education they deserve. Successful black people must step up and become mentors and tutors. Forget about “I got mine so therefore you have to go out and get yours.” We all have to have a sense of ownership when it comes to black youth. All black adults should treat black children as their own, whether they’re a parent or not. We must educate them so they can learn what they need to have success in life.

Number Two is the Ballot. Black people must register to vote and then exercise their right to vote. In the civil rights era, people died so that black people could cast ballots in local, state and federal elections. Yes, I realize that many state governments have implemented voting restrictions that make it increasingly difficult for black people to exercise this right. We must unite to fight these restrictions, just as we did in the 1960s.

The third B is the Buck. We must rally our friends, every religious group and every ethnic group to boycott those corporations that fund the purveyors of hate on talk radio. No black person should ever buy any product that is produced or sold by those corporate sponsors. If we are effective in our boycott, we will win. For corporate America, the color that matters most to corporate America is green. If the purveyors of hate in the media lose their advertising, they will be off the air.

Effecting racial change and reducing hatred is not an easy task of for the faint of heart. It will not happen overnight. This is not the job of any one group of people. It’s the work of all people of good will. Just as the civil rights movement drew people of all races and religions, we must do the same today. We do have more tools at our disposal this time around — social media being one of the more effective tools we can use to rally people to the cause. But, unfortunately, we have almost as much work to do today as we did when we came together more than a half-century ago to fight for Civil Rights and social justice. It is going to take all of us, working together, to create an America that truly lives up E Pluribus Unum — out of many one people and the promise of our Pledge of Allegiance: “one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Does The Rachel Dolezal Story Hold Lessons About Race Relations in America?

The Rachel Dolezal story has sparked a national conversation about racial identity, and for the last week, the story has dominated the media stratosphere and has been the number one trending topic on social media. The tale of the now-former president of the Spokane, Wash., NAACP chapter — a white woman who passed herself off as black — has evoked a myriad of reaction and commentary, ranging from outrage to empathy to fodder for late-night comedians.

While I do not condone the dishonesty and deception of Rachel Dolezal’s actions, I think of her story as a teachable moment about race relations in America — about how the racial landscape has changed over the years. And about how far America has yet to go before blacks and whites are shown equal treatment.

As a Black woman, I understand, given the persistent systemic racism in America, why many blacks and, in particular, Black women, were angered by the fact that Rachel Dolezal seems to lack any understanding of how her choosing to identify as Black, sans any African-American heritage, is in fact a most compelling demonstration of white privilege. It’s not quite so easy for blacks in America to change their race.

No one knows the real motivation for this elaborate deception. Dolezal’s explanation to Matt Lauer on the Today Show was to simply say, “I identify as black.” She has done so, she said, since she was five years old, when she drew pictures of herself using a brown crayon. Whatever her motivation, the story got me thinking about what impact it would have on race relations in this country if White Americans had the opportunity to not just experience what it is like to be Black but to see what racism feels like first-hand.

What would it be like for White Americans to have to walk a mile in a Black person’s shoes? To be sure, race relations in America have improved since two white journalists passed themselves off as black more than a half-century ago. Ray Sprigle, in 1948, and John Howard Griffin, (Black Like Me) in 1959, reported on what it was like to use “For Colored” entrances and take Jim Crow taxis.

Racism today is more subtle — but it is most certainly still with us. If you’re Black, you’re more likely to be followed by security staff in a store. You’re more likely to be the subject of a traffic stop. If you’re a Black woman, you earn roughly 64 percent of what a White male makes — compared with 78 percent for White females.

Would race relations improve if whites could truly experience what it is like to be black in America? Would there be fewer police shootings of unarmed black men? Would there be more economic opportunity for African Americans?

In order for race relations to improve in America, Whites and Blacks must move away from seeing each other through a Victim/Villain prism. Walking a mile in each other’s shoes would go a long way toward accomplishing that.

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