Huntington Connects with Communities

By Sam Huston
Mahoning Valley Community President, Business Banking Senior VP

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Huntington, a company proud of its Ohio roots, is a purpose-driven bank focused on making people’s lives better, helping businesses thrive and strengthening the communities we serve. Looking out for people is deeply embedded in our culture.

We have long been a believer in shared value. Doing good is good for business. In an effort to look out for our customers’ financial well-being, we continue to expand our “Fair Play Banking” suite of products and many other digital banking tools. We provide distinctive products and no-nonsense, transparent service benefits.

Huntington is committed to driving meaningful change and improvements to the economic vitality, financial security and sustainable futures of the people we serve.

In 2022, we furthered our investment in our communities through our $40 billion strategic community plan focused on:

• Racial and social equity.

• Community development lending and investing.

• Home and consumer lending.

• Helping small businesses grow.

 Through our “Lift Local Business” program, Huntington supports minority-, woman-, and veteran-owned small businesses throughout the business life cycle – from start-up to expansion. These small businesses can secure SBA-guaranteed loans ranging from $1,000 to $150,000.

This loan option provides longer terms, overdraft fee relief and waived fees so that business owners from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and experiences can succeed in their industry. Huntington is well-versed in the unique challenges faced by these businesses and works to provide them the best advice and guidance, in addition to loans.

Moreover, Huntington is the nation’s largest originator, by volume, of Small Business Administration 7(a) loans, and has been for five consecutive years.

 Huntington also believes that investments in home-buyer education, small business and workforce development and financial education can have significant impacts in our communities. By empowering colleagues to share their time and resources, through volunteerism and board leadership, we help to build and sustain strong, vibrant neighborhoods. Every day, our colleagues embody our organizational value by giving generously of their time and energy to make a difference in their local communities.

  Our commitment to the Mahoning Valley is strong. 2022 marked the 12th consecutive year that Huntington gave away nearly 1,000 backpacks to help children get back to school. This initiative with the United Way of Youngstown and Mahoning Valley ensures that, in the face of ever rising costs, local families have the supplies for their children to succeed in the new school year. We also partner with the United Way by supporting Satur-Day of Caring to fight food insecurity and help people in need. 

Additionally, our support of financial literacy programs helps to provide area students with real world experiences and budgeting lessons through Huntington’s programming and Junior Achievement’s curriculum.

 Neighborhood and economic development similarly are focal points for Huntington, especially here in the Mahoning Valley.

Through involvement with the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. and Trumbull Neighborhood Partnership, we are helping to revitalize our neighborhoods.

And through our engagement with Youngstown Business Incubator and area chambers of commerce, we support economic development activities to help stimulate growth in our communities.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.