Huntington Selects Daniel P. Walsh, Jr. As President of the Greater Cleveland Region

CLEVELAND, April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Huntington National Bank has selected Daniel P. Walsh, Jr. to become president of the greater Cleveland region. A Cleveland native with more than 14 years of banking experience, Walsh, 41, most recently led KeyBank's Real Estate Capital Markets business nationally as an executive vice president.  

"Huntington is committed to expanding our business in Cleveland and throughout the Midwest," said Steve Steinour, chairman, president and CEO of Huntington Bank. "We have selected Dan to lead our efforts in the greater Cleveland region because of his impressive accomplishments both as a business executive and community leader. With his natural leadership abilities and keen focus on growth, we believe he will be able to grow Huntington's presence in the marketplace."

William R. Robertson, a member of Huntington's Board of Directors who is a 45-year resident of Cleveland and a former president, director and deputy chairman of National City Corp., echoed Steinour's confidence in the Walsh appointment. "Huntington is fortunate to have attracted such a skilled and high-ranking banking executive to this important role," said Robertson.

"This role and this organization presented me with a perfect balance of a sincere commitment to the Midwest and driven motivation for expansion in this region," explained Walsh. "I am thrilled to become a part of this world-class team and look forward to building upon the work already underway to increase Huntington's success and support economic growth in Cleveland."  

Walsh began his career with KeyBank in 1996 and progressed successfully with that organization, holding positions of increasing scope and responsibility throughout his tenure. A sought-after industry speaker, he serves on the executive committee and recently was elected treasurer of the Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Finance Council. He also serves on the board of directors for the National Multi-Housing Council and the Northeast Ohio Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation.

He received his bachelor's degree in Management and MBA from the Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management (Cleveland, Ohio). He also holds his Juris Doctor degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law, with a certification in environmental and energy law practice. Walsh lives in Shaker Heights, Ohio with his wife and two children.

Walsh replaces Jerry Kelsheimer, who joined Huntington in 1996 and became Huntington's greater Cleveland region president in 2005.

"Over the past year, I have been working closely with the Huntington executive team to determine how to take advantage of the great opportunities in the region," said Kelsheimer. "I'm confident that Dan Walsh is the right choice for Huntington and Cleveland."

Kelsheimer will continue with Huntington and will support the transition of responsibilities to Walsh over the next few months.

"Jerry has been influential upon our strategic direction in the greater Cleveland region and we will continue to rely upon his insights as he moves into a role that supports our commitment to the community," said Steinour.

A graduate of Indiana University Kelly School of Business, Kelsheimer is active in the Cleveland community and serves on numerous boards, including the Cleveland Development Advisors, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and United Way of Greater Cleveland. He currently is chairman of the board of directors of the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation.  

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN)  is a $52 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.  Through its affiliated companies, Huntington has been providing a full range of financial services including checking, loans, savings, insurance and investment services to customers for 144 years.  Huntington also offers retail and commercial financial services online at huntington.com; through its technologically advanced, telephone bank; and through its network of over 1,300 ATMs.

SOURCE Huntington Bancshares Incorporated