Council at Large

Short Biography

Norman A. Bliss

Norman A. Bliss is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Community Reinvestment Advisors, LLC, one of the nation’s leading consulting firms specializing in the design and execution of Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)-qualified lending, investment, and service strategies. Under his leadership, the firm partners with financial institutions, nonprofits, and public agencies to unlock CRA-qualified capital and strengthen programs that revitalize underserved communities nationwide.

With over three decades of experience in community development finance, Norman has a proven track record of designing and executing large-scale capital initiatives. At Bank of the West, he served as Senior Vice President and Community Reinvestment Group Manager, where he guided the bank to its first-ever Outstanding CRA rating from the FDIC and co-led the creation of a $40 billion Community Benefits Plan in connection with the BMO Harris merger. Previously, as Senior Vice President and Director of Community Development at KeyBank, he secured the institution’s ninth consecutive Outstanding CRA rating from the OCC and designed KeyBank’s landmark $16.5 billion Community Benefits Plan, developed during the acquisition of First Niagara. Earlier in his career at FirstMerit Bank, he oversaw CRA integration during the $10 billion acquisition of Citizens Republic, implementing DOJ settlement agreements and multi-year neighborhood reinvestment agreements with the City of Cleveland. Most recently, Norman led the firm in advising on the largest credit card merger in history – the acquisition of Discover Financial Services by Capital One, which was finalized on May 18, 2025,
for $35 billion.|

Norman is recognized nationally as a thought leader in community reinvestment and has been a featured speaker at the CRA & Fair Lending Colloquium, the American Bankers Association Conference, the Cleveland Federal Reserve Bank Policy Summit, and numerous other industry forums. He has also served on key trade and policy committees, including the Consumer Bankers Association’s CRA Committee, the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Bankers Collaborative Council, and the American Bankers Association’s CRA Working Group.

Beyond his professional achievements, Norman has contributed extensively to civic and nonprofit leadership, serving on the boards of the Shaker Heights Board of Education (as President), the Cleveland Housing Network, the Village Capital Corporation, and, most recently, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County.

A graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Norman has combined his academic foundation with decades of practical experience to become one of the nation’s most trusted advisors in CRA strategy and community development finance.