GOVERNOR WHITMER.
GOOD EVERYONE.
I'M SANDY PIERCE, AND
I'M [INDISCERNIBLE] OF
MICHIGAN.
THIS IS TO STRENGTHEN
THE COMMUNITIES THAT
WE'RE PRIVILEGED TO
SERVE.
GOVERNOR, WE
APPRECIATE YOUR
ADMINISTRATION'S
LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
YOUR EFFORTS TO
SUPPORT SOCIAL JUSTICE
AND YOUR RESPONSE TO
THE CATASTROPHIC
FLOODING IN MICHIGAN.
HUNTINGTON HAS A LONG
HISTORY OF SERVING OUR
COMMUNITIES AND IN
LIGHT OF THE CURRENT
CHALLENGES FACING OUR
STATE, WE'RE SEEKING
TO JOIN OTHERS IN
ADVANCING SOCIAL
EQUITY AND ECONOMIC
INCLUSION FOR ALL
PEOPLE IN THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE
SERVE.
WE DO THIS BECAUSE OUR
PURPOSE LEADS US TO DO
MORE.
TODAY I'M REALLY
EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE
HUNTINGTON BANK'S 5
BILLION DOLLAR
COMMITMENT TO HELP
THOSE ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES
THROUGHOUT OUR GREAT
STATE.
THIS FIVE-YEAR
COMMITMENT, PART OF
OUR NEW 2020 COMMUNITY
PLAN WILL FOCUS ON
SMALL BUSINESS,
SUPPORT SOCIAL EQUITY,
ECONOMIC INCLUSION AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
MICHIGAN IS MY HOME.
AS SOMEONE BORN AND
RAISED IN THE CITY OF
DETROIT, I SEE THE
EFFECT THAT THE
PANDEMIC IS HAVING ON
MICHIGAN'S CONSUMERS
AND SMALL BUSINESSES
IN ALL AREAS OF THE
STATE.
A GOVERNOR IS LEAVING
THROUGH A MOMENT -- OF
UNPRECEDENTED
CHALLENGE.
THE PEOPLE OF MICHIGAN
ARE STRONG AND
RESILIENT, BUT MANY
NEED AND ARE SEEKING
GREATER STABILITY AND
CERTAINLY ECONOMIC
WILL ENABLE US TO DO
MORE IN THREE FOCUS
AREAS.
LET ME START WITH THE
FIRST.
ACCESS TO CAPITAL.
INVESTING IN SMALL
BUSINESS WITH SPECIAL
EMPHASIS ON THOSE BY
MINORITIES, WOMEN, AND
VETERAN OWNERS.
LET ME HELP BRING
BUSINESS OWNERS, THE
RELIEF AND THE
RECOVERY AND THE
GROWTH THEY'RE SEEKING
AS THE CORNER STONES
OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY.
OUR SECOND FOCUS,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
HOME OWNERSHIP.
HUNTINGTON IS
EXPANDING LENDING
PROGRAMS AND
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
TO SUPPORT INCREASED
HOME OWNERSHIP BY
MINORITY AND LOW TO
MODERATE INCOME BUYERS
ACROSS ALL OF
MICHIGAN.
WE WILL HELP TO ENABLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
FURTHER TIME HOME
BUYERS, IMPROVE
HOUSING SECURITY, AND
CREATE GENERATIONAL
WEALTH THROUGH HOME
OWNERSHIP.
OUR THIRD AREA OF
FOCUS, COMMUNITY
LENDING AND
INVESTMENT.
HUNTINGTON IS
COMMITTED TO REMOVING
THE BARRIERS TO
BANKING THAT STILL
EXIST FOR SOME
CONSUMERS AND
BUSINESSES.
AND WE'RE INVESTING TO
SUPPORT OUR
COMMUNITY'S EFFORTS
RELATED TO AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, FOOD
SECURITY, WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT, AND
SOCIAL EQUITY.
HUNTINGTON'S 2020
COMMUNITY PLAN WAS
DEVELOPED IN
COOPERATION WITH THE
GOVERNOR'S
ADMINISTRATION AS WELL
AS -- AS ALL OF OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE
WHO SHARE OUR
COMMITMENT FOR LOOKING
OUT FOR PEOPLE.
I AM SO PLEASED THAT
OUR FRIEND AND PARTNER
HECTOR HERNANDEZ FROM
SOUTHWEST ECONOMIC
SOLUTIONS IS WITH US
TODAY.
THANK YOU, HECTOR, FOR
JOINING.
WE CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
GOVERNOR AND OUR
COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND
FIND MORE WAYS THAT WE
CAN CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER TO ADDRESS
THE REAL NEEDS OF
UNDERSERVED CONSUMERS,
UNDERSERVED
BUSINESSES, AND THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE
