A significant number of senior FirstMerit Corp. executives will join Huntington Bancshares once the purchase of Akron-based FirstMerit is completed later this year.
“These are all really good people,” said Stephen Steinour, Huntington’s chairman, president and chief executive officer.
The FirstMerit executives joining Huntington are doing so following advice and input from FirstMerit Chairman, President and CEO Paul Greig and other senior leaders in Akron, Steinour said. Many of Greig’s core team will join Huntington, he said.
“The cooperation and collaboration has been outstanding,” Steinour said. “We’re thrilled.”
FirstMerit executives had decisions to make on what they wanted to do with their careers following the announcement that Columbus-based Huntington was purchasing FirstMerit, Steinour said.
“A number want to join Huntington in significant roles,” he said.
Discussions with FirstMerit employees initially started with questions about career opportunities at Huntington, the direction Huntington is taking and more — usually ending with discussions on compensation issues, Steinour said.
“This is a team of great people,” he said.
Shareholders of both companies have approved the $3.4 billion stock and cash transaction. The merger is expected to be complete by the end of September pending regulatory approval.
Huntington said Sandra E. “Sandy” Pierce, FirstMerit vice chairman, and chairman and CEO of FirstMerit Michigan, will become Huntington’s senior executive vice president, Private Client Group and regional banking director and chair of Michigan. Pierce will report to Steinour.
Pierce, who joined FirstMerit in 2013, was listed by American Banker as among its “25 Most Powerful Women in Banking”.
She will lead Huntington’s Private Client Group, encompassing Huntington Wealth and Investment Management, Huntington Private Bank, the Huntington Investment Co., retirement plan services and the national settlements line of business. She will also lead public affairs, and corporate communications and regional marketing.
Other executive changes include:
• Michael G. Robinson will become Wealth and Investment Management director and lead Private Bank and national settlements. Robinson is executive vice president, wealth management services at FirstMerit.
• Barbara Benham, Huntington executive vice president, chief communications officer, will become executive vice president, chief public affairs officer.
• Julie C. Tutkovics, will become Huntington’s chief communications officer and director of regional marketing. Tutkovics is executive vice president, chief marketing officer at FirstMerit. She will also lead Private Client Group and commercial customer communications, and events and sponsorships.
Current FirstMerit regional presidents and CEOs will become Huntington regional presidents for the company’s existing East Michigan and Cleveland regions, a newly created Akron region and Huntington’s acquired Chicago and Wisconsin regions, Huntington announced.
Also, FirstMerit’s Central Ohio regional president and CEO will serve alongside Huntington’s current president for the region.
Regional presidents reporting to Pierce will be:
• Central Ohio — James E. Kunk, who retires in 2017, and Sue E. Zazon
• Northwest Ohio — Sharon Speyer
• Southern Ohio/Kentucky — Kevin Jones
• West Michigan — John Irwin
• East Michigan — David Lochner
• Central Indiana — John Corbin, succeeding Michael W. Newbold who is retiring
• West Virginia — Andrew Paterno
• Western Pennsylvania and Ohio Valley — Susan Baker Shipley
Regional presidents supporting Huntington’s commercial business will report to Rick Remiker, senior executive vice president, director of commercial banking:
• Cleveland — Sean P. Richardson
• Akron — Nicholas V. Browning
• Canton and Mahoning Valley — William C. Shivers
• Chicago — Peter K. Gillespie
• Wisconsin — Kevin M. Leissring
The following FirstMerit executives also will join Huntington:
• N. James Brocklehurst, executive vice president, retail banking at FirstMerit, will become consumer bank strategy director at Huntington.
• Chad Carroll, FirstMerit’s senior vice president of retail banking, will become retail sales, service and operations director at Huntington.
• Douglas Winget, executive vice president, president BusinessCredit FirstMerit, will become asset based lending director at Huntington.
• Mark N. DuHamel, executive vice president, deputy chief financial officer at FirstMerit, will become corporate treasurer at Huntington.
• Matthew E. Majernik, executive vice president, deputy chief human resources officer at FirstMerit, will become chief talent officer at Huntington.
• Carlton E. Langer, executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary at FirstMerit, will become associate general counsel at Huntington.
Huntington said there will be future hiring and promotion announcements related to the FirstMerit purchase.
Jim Mackinnon can be reached at 330-996-3544 or jmackinnon@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him @JimMackinnonABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/JimMackinnonABJ