Kevin Cohee is the owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black owned bank and the first Black owned internet bank in America. In the aftermath of the protest against police brutality in 2016, Mr. Cohee created and spearheaded the Bank Black movement resulting in Black people transferring tens of millions of dollars into Black owned banks as a form of social protest.
OneUnited Bank was established by unifying several community banks across the country: Founders National Bank and Family Savings Bank in Los Angeles, People National Bank in Miami and Boston Bank of Commerce. Respectively, these banks have tenaciously served many neglected urban communities in America. By unifying these banks, OneUnited Bank has built the foundation to solve the longstanding problem of access to capital in inner city communities.
Through Mr. Cohee’s visionary leadership, OneUnited Bank has exceeded industry averages year after year regarding asset growth and profitability. From 1996 to the present, OneUnited assets have grown from $56 million to over $650 million. The Bank has consistently been profitable and achieved a compound growth rate on its common equity of over 35%.
OneUnited Bank has been designated by the United States Department of Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The Bank has received the Bank Enterprise Award (BEA), the highest award offered by the United States government for community development for ten years.
A successful business executive and entrepreneur for almost 20 years, Mr. Cohee founded a consulting firm in 1979 specializing in acquisition of radio and television stations by minorities. After obtaining his JD/MBA in 1985, Mr. Cohee became an investment banker at Salomon Brothers, Inc.
By 1988, through a leveraged buyout, Mr. Cohee acquired Military Professional Services, Inc. (MPS), a 29-year old company that marketed Visa and MasterCard credit cards to military personnel. Mr. Cohee successfully turned MPS into a profitable company with a $40 million portfolio and 20,000 customers. By 1993, Mr. Cohee sold the assets of MPS achieving significant financial benefit from the transaction.
Mr. Cohee purchased a majority controlling interest in Boston Bank of Commerce in 1995 – when the Bank was experiencing financial difficulties. Mr. Cohee was elected Chairman and CEO in 1996 and has since spearheaded the Bank’s growth and profitability.
Mr. Cohee is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Harvard Law School. He also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin; where he was a 4-year letterman in football. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and has received numerous awards for his business and community achievements and contributions.
