Huntington Grants Shares to Blakely

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Huntington Bancshares Incorporated (Nasdaq: HBAN) today announced that Kevin Blakely commenced his role as the new Chief Risk Officer, effective July 8, 2009. In accordance with NASDAQ rules, Huntington also announced that it has issued to Mr. Blakely, on July 8, 2009, an inducement award consisting of a restricted stock award for 40,000 shares of Huntington common stock that vests on the second anniversary of the date of grant, subject to Mr. Blakely's continued employment with Huntington through the vesting date. The restricted stock award was approved by the Huntington Board's compensation committee without shareholder approval as an "employee inducement" award under the NASDAQ rules.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated 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 8, 2009