Bank of America

NANAY and FLORIDA ASIAN LEADERS MEET WITH BANK OF AMERICA

Miami, Florida -August 25, 2009

On Monday, August 24, 2009, key leaders of the Asian community in South Florida led by NANAY met with the executive officers of Bank of America in Coral Gables to start a conversation and develop a mutually productive win-win relationship between Bank of America and the Asian Community.

The meeting was initiated by Dr. Joy Bruce, Founding President of NANAY and Board Director of the Florida Minority Community Reinvestment Coalition (FMCRC), and by Denise Freedman, Bank of America's Senior Vice President and Manager of Community Relations in Florida.

"We aim to empower low-income and minority communities by attracting investments for health, education, home ownership, employment, and minority entrepreneurship using a holistic advocacy approach," says Al Pina, FMCRC Founding Chairman. who has developed strong partnership with the Greenlining Institute of California. " We want to create better opportunity and fair market for minority communities with regard to housing, education, health, businesses and philanthropy. I am glad the Asian leaders are taking the initiative."

Val Dagani (Co-convenor of Filam Coalition of Florida, Vice-Chair of NaFFAA Florida, Chair of Council of FilAm Organizations in Central Florida, Advisor for the Knights of Rizal, practicing lawyer, real estate broker and President of Tri-State Placement Services) drove from Orlando to attend the meeting. He was also joined by Heidi Wong (Administrator of Doctors Plus Medical Center and Doctors Plus Clinical Research), Beth Marull (President of Philippine American Federation of South Florida), and Edwin Dominado (Chair of Philippine American Cultural Foundation of South Florida).

From Left to Right: Val Dagani, Andres Intriago, Heidi Wong, Patrick Sobers, Maria Alonzo, Joy Bruce, Denise Freedman, Beth Marull. (Not in photo: Edwin Dominado).

Bank of America representatives Andres Intriago (South Florida Small Business Manager), Patrick Sobers (Vice-President-Soutn Florida Small Business), and Maria Alonso ((Vice-President, South FL Community Relations) joined Denise Freedman in the meeting where homeownership and foreclosures, bank job availability, consumer credits, philanthropic programs including corporate sponsorships, and Asian community projects like the Philippine Cultural Center were discussed.

The greater part of meeting dealt with the need for small Asian businesses to establish good banking relationships and ways by which they could take advantage of the numerous business development programs offered by Bank o America, including Webinars. Everyone agreed that there is a need for community education and better access to capital and resources.

"What we need is to identify Asian organizations in South, Central and North Florida that can serve as a clearing house where members of our community can go when they need information, referral and advice concerning their personal, home and business banking needs," says Val Dagani from Orlando.

"Asians are more receptive to information coming from people whom they know and trust," adds Heidi Wong from Broward. "Let's all work together on a mutually beneficial relationship between banks and out communities."

"This is just the start of a win-win relationship," concludes Dr. Joy Bruce. "That is how empowerment begins."

“Bank of America understands that we have both an opportunity and an obligation to continuously find new ways to grow the economy and our business. We have a better understanding of what the Asian community needs in Florida, and seek ways to develop partnerships with organizations that serve them,” says Denise J. Freedman.

The result of this initiative will be reported at the next Filam Coalition of Florida meeting scheduled to be held in Orlando, Florida on October 24-25, 2009, with the view of establishing and expanding Asian-Banking Partnerships and other initiatives that will empower all the Filipino and Asian-American communities in the State of Florida.

# # #