Beatrice Kelly to Lead Community Development Lending Program at Comerica Bank

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Beatrice Kelly
Beatrice Kelly // Photo courtesy of Comerica Inc.

Beatrice Kelly has joined Comerica Inc. as senior vice president and director of community development lending. Beginning Oct. 5, Kelly will be responsible for growing Comerica’s community development lending program. Comerica’s Michigan headquarters are in Detroit.

“Beatrice’s proven experience in connecting with and supporting small businesses, nonprofits, and philanthropic partners aligns with our focus on cultivating relationships that assist our customers and improve our communities,” says Peter Sefzik, executive vice president and executive director of Commercial Bank. “Undoubtedly, she will strengthen collaborative initiatives with our line of business leaders to establish go-to-market strategies for Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) lending across Comerica’s footprint.”

Kelly rejoins Comerica after an eight-year tenure at Fifth Third Bank. Prior, she spent 17 years at Comerica, where she held roles in business banking and commercial bank training and recruiting. During her time at Fifth Third Bank, she served as director of operations, community development, and sustainability and was responsible for building and maintaining  partnerships that helped to advance the bank’s CRA-related activities.

“As we seek opportunities to further support community growth and development, Beatrice’s expertise will enable us to expand our ability to deliver critical resources, such as much-needed capital,” says Irvin Ashford Jr., chief community officer of Comerica Bank. “Her leadership will help entrepreneurs and small businesses, especially those from low- to moderate-income communities, during a time when these communities still face incredible challenges ahead.”

Kelly holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Davenport University, a master’s in management from Walsh College, and is currently enrolled in the ABA Stonier Graduate Banking program at the University of Pennsylvania. She also serves on the Community Reinvestment Fund, USA Advisory Committee, Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC), Cincinnati Advisory Board, and is a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Comerica Inc. is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas. It has additional locations in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, Canada, and Mexico