By Ted Schmidt
Regional President, PNC
YOUNGSTOWN – The unprecedented challenges presented by the pandemic made for an interesting 2020. But they also helped PNC become even more poised for growth in 2021.
Although the bank faced its own hurdles, our employees never skipped a beat in helping our customers.
Small businesses needed Paycheck Protection Program loans to stay afloat. Customers required a variety of financial wellness solutions and the community needed help with basic needs. As a large bank, PNC had the resources available to quickly assist in these areas and many more.
And our personal service will become only stronger in the new year. We will continue to work directly with individuals and organizations in the Mahoning Valley. The way PNC and our employees handled the difficulties created by the pandemic is among my greatest sources of pride.
As the application process opened for small businesses to obtain PPP loans, PNC employees sprang into action. They set aside other projects to help businesses throughout the entire process, and it was no easy task.
Some small businesses did not have the capabilities to complete the application process. So we helped them gather the information needed and guided them. This required some employees to work seven days a week for nearly a month. The hard work paid off. PNC became the second largest PPP lender in Ohio.
The pandemic also challenged individuals at work and in their personal lives. Businesses noticed their employees were preoccupied by worries about their personal finances.
PNC’s Organizational Financial Wellness program helped by teaching businesses and their employees how to be more financially secure.
Some people were also forced to change the way they do banking as our branches closed temporarily for the shutdown. While many customers had already adopted online and mobile banking tools, others had to adopt them at a faster pace than expected.
PNC has spent billions of dollars on technology, so the systems were already in place to help customers quickly adapt to weather the storm.
However, there was still much to be done to help our community. For example, schools needed the proper tools for virtual learning and food pantries saw increased need. PNC quickly worked with organizations such as the YMCA of Youngstown, United Way chapters and Second Harvest Food Bank to help them serve residents.
Our dedication to community involvement, personal service and advanced technology will continue in 2021. PNC looks forward to working closely with others to determine how best to serve the region.