Board of Directors | Chairman | EXIM Leadership 1934-present | EXIM Legislative History | Annual Reports Archive
Founded in 1934, the Export-Import Bank was organized by Franklin D. Roosevelt under the name Export-Import Bank of Washington. The stated goal was "to aid in financing and to facilitate exports and imports and the exchange of commodities between the United States and other Nations or the agencies or nationals thereof." [i] The Bank's first transaction was a $3.8 million loan to Cuba in 1935 for the purchase of U.S. silver ingots.[ii]
The Export-Import Bank became an independent agency in 1945. The Bank’s name was changed to "Export-Import Bank of the United States" in 1968. [iii]
Over the years, the Export-Import Bank helped finance several historic projects including the Pan-American Highway, the Burma Road, and post-WWII reconstruction. The timeline below highlights the Bank’s history and several projects it has supported over the years.
1930s/1940s
Beginnings
1950s/1960s
Growth and Development
1970s/1980s
Meeting Global Challenges
1990s
New Products & Technology
2000s
Financing Infrastructure
2010s
Historic Financing Support
2020s
New Frontiers
Full Historical Timeline (text version)