Huntington Announces Expansion of Saturday Banking Hours

COLUMBUS, Ohio, May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to positive customer feedback, Huntington (NASDAQ: HBAN; www.huntington.com) will now be open during more weekend hours as part of its ongoing commitment to provide better convenience and more choices.  Starting this month, Huntington will now be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in nearly all branches across its six-state service area, including an additional 34 branches, which previously were not open on Saturdays.

"At Huntington, we've made it our mission to be the very best in customer service, and one way we're delivering on that promise is by listening to what our customers want and responding with products and services that make their lives easier," said Mary Navarro, Huntington's retail and business banking director. "Customers enjoy being able to bank when it's most convenient for them, and we want to make sure they can do that."

Last year, Huntington announced a move to seven-day banking in its Cleveland market, which resulted in a significant increase in customer convenience and 100 new branch personnel to serve customers during the extended hours. The new Saturday extended hours in additional markets is expected to provide more convenience and some additional hiring in those markets.

The expansion will add nearly 900 more Saturday hours to 389 Huntington branches in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.  In Huntington's Cleveland region, where extended hours were first introduced last year, Saturday branch hours will remain 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.  And at the bank's Giant Eagle In-Store branches, which are open seven days a week, Saturday hours will remain 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

In addition to the extended Saturday hours, Huntington has made other recent customer-friendly announcements as part of its "Fair Play" approach to banking, including 24-Hour Grace®, which gives its consumer checking customers additional time to cover overdrafts.

And earlier this month, Huntington introduced its ground-breaking Asterisk-Free Checking™, a checking account that is free to open, has no monthly checking maintenance fee, no minimum balance and no check or debit card usage requirements – and it includes a linked savings account, free ID Theft Resolution Services and 24-Hour Grace.  This focus on consumer fairness will continue to influence Huntington's future banking products and services.

"Through our extended-hour banking, we are giving our customers what they want – more convenience," said Jim Baron, executive vice president and retail branch director. "Our customers want a fair approach to banking, and they know they can trust us to deliver simple, easy-to-understand products and services that deliver value, convenience and transparency."

Huntington is ranked highest among its peer group, by a double-digit margin, in overall service score and customer advocacy according to a 2010 MSR Group Syndicated Study.

For more information about Huntington Bank branch hours near you, visit the branch and ATM locator at https://www.huntington.com/locator/advantage.jsp.  Find out how 24-Hour Grace works at https://www.huntington.com/grace.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $53 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Huntington National Bank, founded in 1866, provides full-service commercial, small business, and consumer banking services; mortgage banking services; treasury management and foreign exchange services; equipment leasing; wealth and investment management services; trust services; brokerage services; customized insurance brokerage and service programs; and other financial product and services. The principal markets for these services are Huntington's six-state banking franchise: Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The primary distribution channels include a banking network of over 600 traditional branches and convenience branches located in grocery stores and retirement centers, and through an array of alternative distribution channels including internet and mobile banking, telephone banking, and over 1,300 ATMs. Through automotive dealership relationships within its six-state banking franchise area and selected New England states, Huntington also provides commercial banking services to the automotive dealers and retail automobile financing for dealer customers.

The logo mark and Huntington® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

SOURCE Huntington Bancshares Incorporated