Nichols also reorganized ABA’s political engagement strategy, with the association producing ads endorsing congressional candidates for the first time—both Republicans and Democrats—and increasing its political activity in the 2020 campaign cycle. “Our goal is to support candidates who understand and appreciate the critical role banks of all sizes play in the economy,” Nichols said, according to the Wall Street Journal. “We plan to expand our efforts in 2020 on a rigorously bipartisan basis.” He made several key executive hires at ABA, including former managing director at JPMorgan Chase Naomi Camper as chief policy officer, former director for Freddie Mac’s single-family business Alethia Baggett as chief human resources officer, and former Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook as chief communications officer. The Washington Post has cited Nichols as one of a “new generation of trade group CEOs” taking an unconventional approach to lobbying to remake the image of trade associations. Nichols has also been regularly named one of the "Top Lobbyists" by The Hill. In November 2016, the association announced a new student debt repayment benefit for employees, something offered by only 4% of U.S. employers at that time. In 2018, ABA was recognized as a "Great Place to Work" by the company that produces Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list.