What is the financial services industry? Many people think of only Wall Street, but we're so much more.

We're your local banker, your neighborhood insurance agent, your helpful investment advisor and we work for you.

We comprise the financial services sector and what we provide is fundamental to every economic activity in America.

We help create jobs, whether it's building solar panels for military housing in 33 states,

or lending and investing in community development projects across America.

We help businesses, especially small businesses, grow by providing access to capital.

We provided more than 607 billion dollars in loans to small businesses in 2011, and banks have pledged to lend 100 billion dollars more.

We provide insurance protection to millions of small businesses and offer tools essential to their support.

Whether it's connecting small business owners to each other, or providing resources that explain Workmen's Compensation in plain English.

We ensure that you have credit to make big purchases like a car, or small purchases like a birthday present, or your weekly groceries.

Consumer credit has increased to more than 2.4 trillion dollars.

We help you create and protect your own savings and retirement security.

As of mid- 2011, US retirement assets totalled 18.2 trillion dollars and have increased 15 percent since 2010.

You can turn to us to help repair and rebuild because we protect your homes and families.

In 2009, the insurance industry paid 306.7 billion dollars in benefits to property and casualty insurance policyholders

and 246 billion dollars in benefits to life and health insurance policyholders.

Most importantly, we are an integral part of Main Street.

While the last few years have been challenging, our industry is safer and stronger than ever.

We help America to create and grow jobs, support and lend to small businesses, and improve the communities where we live and serve.