Heather Arbour Honored by American Bankers Association with 2026 Emerging Leader Award
The ABA Emerging Leader Awards recognize banking professionals who demonstrate excellence, integrity and service to their bank, industry and community. Honorees are selected through a multi-round review process conducted by banking industry professionals, with criteria including dedication to the profession, inventiveness, leadership skills, mentoring ability, personal integrity, career progress and academic training.
The national honor builds on an exceptional year of professional milestones for Arbour. Earlier this year, she was named the Massachusetts Bankers Association’s 2026 Emerging Leader Award recipient and recently graduated from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking, earning both a Stonier Diploma and a Wharton Leadership Certificate.
Arbour’s leadership and commitment to continued growth reflect the values of Monson Savings Bank. Her achievements demonstrate both her personal dedication to professional development and the importance the Bank places on developing leaders who will help shape its future.
Arbour, a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), serves as Vice President of BSA, Fraud and Compliance at Monson Savings Bank, where she oversees BSA/AML compliance, fraud prevention and compliance program management. During her nearly 20-year career with the Bank, she has taken on increasing levels of responsibility while demonstrating a strong commitment to continued education, professional development and leadership growth. Arbour holds a Master of Science in Leadership and Negotiation and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Criminal Justice from Bay Path University and previously graduated with honors from the New England School for Financial Studies at Babson College. Her accomplishments in 2026 include graduating from the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking with both a Stonier Diploma and Wharton Leadership Certificate and receiving Emerging Leader Awards from both the Massachusetts Bankers Association and the American Bankers Association.
Additional information about the 2026 ABA Emerging Leader Awards and this year’s honorees is available through the American Bankers Association Emerging Leader Awards: https://www.aba.com/banking-topics/operations/leadership/emerging-leaders/aba-emerging-leader-awards.
Incorporated as a mutually chartered community bank in 1872, Monson Savings Bank has one of the longest tenures of service and stability in its market. Civic leaders chartered the bank with the intent to give working men and women the opportunity to save. Today, Monson Savings Bank retains its legacy of empowerment through savings while offering innovative financial services, including digital banking, online mortgage applications, business banking, and commercial lending. The bank serves customers through offices in Monson, Hampden, Wilbraham, Ware, and East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, as well as its Loan & Operations center in Wilbraham.
Member FDIC. Member DIF. Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #613363.
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Caitlin O'Connor FVP, Marketing Officer Monson Savings Bank
National Award Recognizes Arbour for Leadership, Professional Achievement and Commitment to Banking and Community
MONSON, MA – Monson Savings Bank is proud to announce that Heather Arbour, Vice President of BSA, Fraud and Compliance, has been named a recipient of the American Bankers Association’s 2026 Emerging Leader Award, a national recognition honoring the next generation of banking leaders for their leadership, achievement and service to the banking industry and their communities. The award was presented to Arbour on Monday, October 26, during the ABA Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.
ABOUT MONSON SAVINGS BANK
“Heather’s recognition as one of this year’s ABA Emerging Leaders is an extraordinary and well-deserved achievement,” said Dina Merwin, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk & Senior Compliance Officer at Monson Savings Bank. “I have had the opportunity to see Heather continually challenge herself, grow as a leader and apply that growth to our organization and the people we serve. Her dedication to her profession, her colleagues and her community truly reflects the qualities this national award was created to recognize. I could not be prouder of Heather and all that she has accomplished.”
“Receiving this award from the American Bankers Association is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Heather Arbour, Vice President of BSA, Fraud and Compliance at Monson Savings Bank. “I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to continue learning and growing throughout my career, and especially for the colleagues and mentors who have supported and challenged me along the way. I am proud to represent Monson Savings Bank and our community among this year’s Emerging Leader honorees.”
“Heather has an exceptional commitment to learning, leadership and making a meaningful contribution wherever she is involved,” said Dan Moriarty, President and CEO of Monson Savings Bank. “What makes this honor particularly special is that it reflects qualities we see in Heather every day at Monson Savings Bank. She approaches new opportunities with purpose, leads by example and is always looking for ways to make our organization and our community stronger. To see her recognized on a national level is a tremendous accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud to have Heather as part of our team.”