The Huntington Investment Company Launches a New Independent Advisor Channel

A 27-Year Investment Veteran Will Lead the New Unit

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Huntington Investment Company, a full service broker dealer, registered investment advisor, member FINRA/SIPC and wholly-owned subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares Inc., will launch a new independent advisor channel to be led by a 27-year veteran of the industry, Stan Evans.

Evans has worked 27 years in the brokerage industry with the majority of those years spent successfully leading branch offices and regional geographies for major firms such as Merrill Lynch, Wachovia and Wells Fargo.

In building The Huntington Investment Company's new Independent Advisor Channel, Evans is recruiting experienced successful advisors both from within and outside of Huntington's existing footprint. "With people needing sound advice and guidance from a trusted advisor more than ever before, we believe the addition of an independent channel will help us reach and serve more clients both within our existing markets and in some potentially new markets," said Dan Benhase, senior executive vice president in charge of Huntington's Private Financial Group.

"The new delivery channel gives us a chance to offer successful advisors a choice of channels within our institution that best matches their experience and expertise," said Rob Comfort, president of The Huntington Investment Company. "We believe Stan's years of success and experience in the industry position him well to build and lead our new Independent Advisor Channel."

"With all the shakeup in the industry over the past year, we feel the timing is right to attract some top talent to our firm given its terrific reputation, supportive entrepreneurial culture, strong record of success and unique advisor experience," said Evans, who will be based in Columbus.

In addition to the new Independent Advisor Channel, The Huntington Investment Company offers investment services through its Retail Branch, Wealth Management and Institutional divisions.

For more information about The Huntington Investment Company visit huntington.com.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) is a $52 billion regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Huntington has more than 143 years of serving the financial needs of its customers. Through our subsidiaries, including our banking subsidiary, The Huntington National Bank, we provide full-service commercial and consumer banking services, mortgage banking services, equipment leasing, investment management, trust services, brokerage services, customized insurance service program, and other financial products and services. Our over 600 banking offices are located in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Huntington also offers retail and commercial financial services online at huntington.com; through its technologically advanced, 24-hour telephone bank; and through its network of almost 1,400 ATMs. The Auto Finance and Dealer Services group offers automobile loans to consumers and commercial loans to automobile dealers within our six-state banking franchise area. Selected financial service activities are also conducted in other states including: Private Financial Group offices in Florida; and Mortgage Banking offices in Maryland and New Jersey. International banking services are available through the headquarters office in Columbus and a limited purpose office located in both the Cayman Islands and Hong Kong.

SOURCE Huntington Bancshares Incorporated

Released July 10, 2009