In the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010, Huntington Bank led other lenders in Northeast Ohio in number of small business loans, total dollars lent and amount of minority lending. This report from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Cleveland District Office signals the second year in a row that Huntington was the regional leader in loan support to small business owners.

In the past year, Huntington gave out 365 loans and $59 million, including $8 million in minority lending, in the Cleveland region.

These numbers indicate the bank's commitment to growing the local economy through financial lending to entrepreneurs and small business owners, according to Dan Walsh, regional president for Huntington in the Greater Cleveland Region. "Through Huntington's continued partnership with the SBA, we've helped businesses in Cleveland and across our markets retain and grow jobs, expand their services or buy new equipment and become stronger and better positioned for the future," he says.

"When we put dollars in the hands of local small business owners, new businesses can start or be rescued, jobs are created and our economy is jump started," Walsh adds.

Huntington is the fifth-largest SBA lender in the country in number of loans, according to bank sources.

SOURCE: Huntington Bank
WRITER: Diane DiPiero