Comptroller Hood brings extensive experience in community reinvestment to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
For Immediate Release:
February 12, 2025
Contact
Robert Mayo
hello@woodstockinst.org
On February 10, Rodney E. Hood became Acting Comptroller of the Currency at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a top financial regulator with oversight of the nation’s largest banks. In light of Hood’s demonstrated commitment to community development and financial inclusion, Woodstock Institute expressed our hopes of working with his OCC to advance the well-being of working families.
Less than 48 hours later, Donald Trump tapped former blockchain executive Jonathan Gould as its nominee to be Comptroller of the Currency. Gould’s nomination, alongside the nomination of several crypto-friendly regulators to lead federal agencies, including Paul Atkins as Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Brian Quintenz to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, reflects the industry’s extensive influence in the administration.
Horacio Méndez, President and CEO of Woodstock Institute, said, “While we were hopeful the appointment of Rodney Hood was a sign that the new administration is open to pursuing an inclusive financial system that ensures big financial institutions are regulated in the interest of everyday Americans, things have changed quickly and the true focus of the administration has become clearer.”
While we are open to working with anyone who seeks to hold financial institutions accountable, based on the background of these nominees, we fear that the primary focus of the administration may not be to protect either consumers or the safety and soundness of the financial industry that supports community prosperity.”
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Woodstock Institute is a leading policy and research nonprofit that advocates for consumer financial protection and community economic development. Our work seeks to combat structural inequities and to improve the quality of life in lower-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Among our areas of focus are predatory lending, access to banking, debt collection, and municipal fines and fees.
