Huntington Bancshares Incorporated appointed Brant Standridge as President of the holding company and its subsidiary, The Huntington National Bank, effective immediately, the Columbus, Ohio-based lender announced on Tuesday, 8 September. The promotion gives Standridge oversight of all revenue-generating businesses at the $284 billion-asset regional bank, adding commercial banking and payments to the consumer and regional banking franchise he already leads. Huntington said the appointment reflected an extensive succession planning process conducted by the Board of Directors, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Steinour and third-party experts over several years. Standridge will report to Steinour, who has held the president title himself since January 2009 and plans to continue as chairman and chief executive for several more years.
The move formalises a leadership pipeline at one of the fastest-growing regional lenders in the United States. Steinour, 68, told American Banker that Standridge's elevation to chief executive would take place when the board decides the time is right, and that the handover could be "another two-ish years" away. Standridge, 50, joined Huntington in April 2022 as President of Consumer & Business Banking after serving as Chief Retail Community Banking Officer at Truist Financial, a role he assumed in December 2019 upon completion of the BB&T and SunTrust merger. His earlier career included more than five years on the executive leadership team at Truist and its predecessors and eight years as a regional president in Baltimore, Atlanta and Dallas.
INTEGRATION RECORD UNDERPINS PROMOTION
Huntington tied the appointment directly to Standridge's execution on the bank's two most consequential recent transactions. He led all integration activity related to Veritex Community Bank and Cadence Bank, including the Cadence systems conversion, which the bank described as the largest in its history. Huntington acquired Dallas-based Veritex Holdings in October and completed the related conversion three months later, then closed its purchase of Cadence Bank in February and finalised that conversion in late June. The two deals substantially enlarged the lender's presence in Texas, making it one of the largest deposit holders in several of the state's biggest metropolitan areas while adding new business lines, capabilities and several thousand employees.
Standridge also established and continues to lead Huntington's Growth Council, a forum bringing together leaders from across the bank's revenue-producing units to identify and capitalise on long-term growth opportunities. In his prior role he oversaw consumer, private and business banking, spanning branch banking, business banking, community development, consumer finance, insurance, regional banking and wealth management, in addition to all corporate marketing activity. He retains those responsibilities in the expanded role. In a statement, Steinour said Standridge had "played an important role in advancing our growth agenda and strengthening alignment across our businesses" and would be "responsible for the continued revenue growth and performance of the bank."
ORDERLY TRANSITION AND ORGANIC GROWTH FOCUS
Steinour framed the arrangement as an orderly transition designed to give Standridge deep exposure to the parts of the franchise he has not previously run, specifically the commercial bank and the payments business. Standridge told American Banker that the coming years offered an opportunity to learn from Steinour's nearly two decades leading a large regional bank. The structure leaves Steinour focused on overall company strategy and execution while day-to-day revenue accountability shifts to the new president. Huntington, founded in 1866, operates over 1,400 branches across 21 states and ranks among the top 10 U.S. commercial banks.
Following the recent acquisition activity, both executives said the bank's attention has turned to organic growth. Huntington holds roughly 140 branches in Texas after the two deals and is expanding in the Carolinas, where it plans to open 55 branches across North Carolina and South Carolina; it opened its 11th branch in the two-state region in Summerville, South Carolina, in July. The management build-out extends beyond the presidency: USAA and Truist veteran Ameesh Vakharia was named chief marketing and digital products officer in a newly created role announced on 2 September, reporting to Standridge. Investors will watch whether the expanded remit translates into revenue momentum across the enlarged Texas and Southeast footprint, and how the board paces the eventual chief executive handover.