diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d88c305087..0bdf3fdcef 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ target
 /docs/javadoc/*
 /clara-home
 tmp
+/common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/banks
 
 # deployment
 /myLocalMvnRepo
diff --git a/libexec/bank-schema-enums b/libexec/bank-schema-enums
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..e349f9514b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libexec/bank-schema-enums
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import os,glob,json
+idir = 'etc/bankdefs/hipo4'
+odir = 'common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/banks'
+os.makedirs(odir, exist_ok=True)
+for x in glob.glob(f'{idir}/*.json'):
+    for bank in json.load(open(x,'r')):
+        class_name = bank['name'].replace(':','_');
+        with open(f'{odir}/{class_name}.java','w') as f:
+            f.write('package org.jlab.io.banks;\n')
+            f.write(f'public class {class_name} {{\n')
+            for i,entry in enumerate(bank['entries']):
+                var_name = entry['name']
+                f.write(f'    public static final short {var_name} = {i};\n')
+            f.write('}\n')
+            f.close()
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 834fe121ad..b936e993b1 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -263,6 +263,30 @@
 
     <plugins> <!-- plugins inherited by all child POMs -->
 
+      <!-- generate bank shcema enums --> 
+      <plugin>
+        <groupId>org.apache.maven.plugins</groupId>
+        <artifactId>maven-antrun-plugin</artifactId>
+        <version>3.1.0</version>
+        <executions>
+          <execution>
+            <id>bank-schema-enums</id>
+            <phase>validate</phase>
+            <goals>
+              <goal>run</goal>
+            </goals>
+            <inherited>false</inherited> <!-- make this one NOT inherited -->
+            <configuration>
+              <target>
+                <exec executable="python3">
+                  <arg value="libexec/bank-schema-enums"/>
+                </exec>
+              </target>
+            </configuration>
+          </execution>
+        </executions>
+      </plugin>
+
       <!-- static analysis -->
       <plugin>
         <groupId>com.github.spotbugs</groupId>
@@ -428,6 +452,22 @@
     <pluginManagement>
       <plugins> <!-- plugin configurations (unused in child POMs unless declared) -->
 
+        <!-- delete auto-generated bank schema enums during clean phase -->
+        <plugin>
+          <artifactId>maven-clean-plugin</artifactId>
+          <version>3.4.0</version>
+          <configuration>
+            <filesets>
+              <fileset>
+                <directory>common-tools/clas-io/src/main/java/org/jlab/io/banks</directory>
+                <includes>
+                  <include>**/*.java</include>
+                </includes>
+              </fileset>
+            </filesets>
+          </configuration>
+        </plugin>
+
         <!-- generate minimal POM files for deployment, containing GAV (groupID, artifactId, version) -->
         <plugin>
           <groupId>org.codehaus.mojo</groupId>