Member, Board of Directors
Export-Import Bank of the United States

Diane Farrell is a member of the board of directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). A presidential appointee, she was sworn-in on August 7, 2007.

As a member of the board of directors, Farrell is responsible for voting on Ex-Im Bank transactions in excess of $10 million as well as on significant Bank policy matters.

Farrell also represents and promotes the interests of small-business exporters. During fiscal year 2010 the Bank authorized a record $5.0 billion in transactions for the direct benefit of small business exporters, compared to $4.4 billion in small business transactions during fiscal year 2009. Farrell is often invited to present to national groups of exporters, where she emphasizes the variety of Ex-Im Bank products that help exporters grow their international sales. In addition she has been named a member of the White House Business Council.

Through frequent visits to India and Southeast Asia and Latin America, Farrell promotes increased sales of U.S. Goods and services as diverse as the conventional and green energy sectors and infrastructure for transportation and communications. She helps develop and foster financial institution participation in some of the Ex-Im Bank's priority markets, notably India, Indonesia and Colombia.

In addition to her other responsibilities, Farrell serves as Chairman of the Ex-Im Bank's Audit Committee.

Farrell has more than three decades of professional experience in the private and public sectors in financial management, maintaining fiscal integrity and managing budgets. Her work has included private sector, not-for-profit, governmental, and educational arenas – at the state, national and international levels.

From 1997 to 2005, Farrell served as First Selectwoman in the town of Westport – a strong mayor form of government – where she managed her multi-million dollar budgets within the CPI and maintained the town's AAA bond rating. Among Farrell's accomplishments were the financing and construction of state-of-the-art municipal infrastructure and tax relief for senior citizens.

Farrell has also served as Chairwoman of the Southwestern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency Metropolitan Planning that was responsible for federally funded transportation infrastructure in a vital commercial corridor. As a select member of the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Steering and Policy Committees, Farrell helped set policy goals for transportation and infrastructure initiatives in support of small cities and towns across the United States.

Farrell, a 1977 graduate of Wheaton College with a B.A. in American Government, is married to Karr Winslow ("Win" ). The couple has two daughters.

Last Update: April 19, 2011