SOURCE: KeyBank
DESCRIPTION:
From the teammates they hire and the clients they serve, to the suppliers they use and the communities that welcome them, KeyBank has a long-standing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in Buffalo and all of the communities they serve. Recently this earned KeyBank the #23 place on the 2021 DiversityInc “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list.
This commitment continues to come to life through KeyBank’s investment in Buffalo, totaling more than $729 million through its National Community Benefits Plan. KeyBank’s team of bankers leads this investment as they work to help clients each day.
As our community celebrates Juneteenth, we recently spoke with five of KeyBank’s branch managers in Buffalo to highlight the work they do, their roles in our community, and the impact their service has on them and others.
Ethan Grant – Manager – Chippewa Branch - 250 Delaware Avenue, Suite 120
“I was born and raised in Buffalo and I take great pride in helping build a community that I hold dear. A lot of the clients that I see are people that I know and have grown up with and it’s great to help them with their personal finances or explore solutions for small businesses. That familiarity helps me relate to and speak to them at a very comfortable level. I’ve also found that people look up to me in my role as a branch manager. I enjoy talking with people about my career path, opportunities in banking and take a lot of pride in inspiring them. I love to see people move forward both professionally and financially.”
Wiley Simmons III – Manager – Bailey Amherst Branch - 3134 Bailey Avenue
“Working in the community, helping people build their futures and achieve their dreams are what drive me every day. There are a good mix of businesses in the area that our branch is in, both new ones and ones that have been passed down through generations. Helping guide parents as they pass their businesses to their children is very rewarding. We also have a lot of seniors in the neighborhood. Seniors need a lot of help these days and they need someone to listen to and help them. Helping them learn about and use our digital products is really special too.
Robert Cornelius – Manager – Conventus Branch - 1001 Main Street, Suite 120
“I love helping out the small businesses in our community, watching them grow and being with them every step of the way. Being able to go with them and work with them hand-in-hand, step-by-step and provide them with the ideas and solutions that can help them grow. The joy for me is going to a new business and seeing their dream when it’s just on paper and walking them through their paperwork, account openings, and then seeing them cut the ribbon and open the doors is really special and very rewarding.”
Damian Woodall – Manager – East Delavan Branch – 752 East Delavan Avenue
“We opened our East Delavan branch about two years ago and this location continues to have a super impact on the neighborhood and community. You can see how much our clients appreciate us being here and I, along with my team, really enjoy being a resource for this area. Being able to sit down with people and knowing that you are making an impact on someone’s life by helping them open an account is rewarding every day. We still have people coming in saying how beautiful the branch is and how happy they are that we are here and how impressed they are with the technology we have.”
Omar Overstreet – Manager – Broadway Market Branch – 1017 Broadway
“I’m managing a branch in the neighborhood I grew up in. I know the area and love working with the many small businesses that are located here to help them develop their business and grow. I also love working with my partners at the branch who do retirement planning, helping people save, develop a plan and guiding them through that process. This area is a mosaic of people from diverse backgrounds and growing up here has helped me develop relationships with the businesses and neighbors who live and work here. Key has always given me the flexibility and opportunity to get out into the community and have discussions with our clients.”
You can learn more about KeyBank’s commitment to the community by visiting key.com/corporateresponsibility.
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