CLEVELAND, OH -May 15, 2007 "“ Key4Women, KeyBank’s women-owned business banking program, today announced the members of its 2007 National Advisory Board. Established in 2006, this consultative group will continue to help inform and enhance Key4Women’s commitment to providing the highest-quality financial solutions, educational offerings, networking opportunities and customized services to women-owned businesses.

This year’s National Advisory Board members represent a cross spectrum of renowned experts in policy, advocacy and research on small business and businesswomen. Returning members include, among others, Melanie Sabelhaus, Former Deputy Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration; Dr. Marsha Firestone, President and Founder of the Women Presidents’ Organization; and Dr. Sharon G. Hadary, Executive Director of the Center for Women's Business Research. They will be joined by 14 women business owners from a wide range of industries, including telecommunications, construction, healthcare and retail, who will contribute real-world experience and insight from running their own successful companies to the Board. This year, for the first time, the Board’s women business owner representatives have been drawn from across the country, rather than exclusively from Ohio.

Key4Women’s National Advisory Board will continue to convene biannually in Cleveland, Ohio to examine the most critical issues facing women business owners today and to identify the financial resources, banking services and educational opportunities that would be of greatest benefit to this rapidly growing segment of the economy.

Maria Coyne, Executive Vice President, Key4Women, said, "Key4Women is delighted to welcome our new and returning members of the 2007 National Advisory Board, and we look forward to working together closely to enhance the opportunities and resources available to women business owners around the country. Given KeyBank’s recent pledge to provide $2 billion in capital to women-owned businesses over the next five years, this Board will play an invaluable role in helping ensure that all of our offerings and resources for women are as useful and effective as possible in helping them grow their businesses."

As one of the nation's largest financial services companies and top small business lenders, Key currently provides financial services to women-owned businesses across 13 states. As part of its ongoing commitment to this group, KeyBank recently announced that it has provided more than $1 billion in capital to qualified women-owned businesses through its Key4Women program, fulfilling its 2005 pledge to lend $1 billion to women-owned firms by February of 2008 nearly a year ahead of schedule. KeyBank has also pledged to continue supporting the success of women-owned businesses by providing another $2 billion in capital for this group over the next five years.

Female entrepreneurs represent a highly dynamic segment of the small business market. According to the Center for Women's Business Research, the number of women-owned firms is growing twice as fast as the number of businesses overall and represent 40 percent of all businesses in the United States. These firms also generate nearly $2 trillion in sales and employ 12.8 million people.

Members of the 2007 Key4Women National Advisory Board include:

Marri Aviza, Owner
Rumors Salon & Day Spa in Latham, NY

Andi Bailey, Vice President and CFO
Alliance Nursing in Woodinville, WA

Susan Boren, President and CEO
Earthwalk Orthotics, Inc. in Canton, OH

Danielle Buenaventura, Owner
WJL Equities in Eastchester, NY

Jennifer Coleman, President
Jennifer Coleman Creative LLC/City Prowl in Cleveland, OH

Dr. Marsha Firestone, President and Founder
Women Presidents’ Organization in New York, NY

Joan Coffman First, Executive Vice President
Lang Stone Company in Columbus, OH

Deann Geary, President, CEO, CFO
Geary Construction in Coalville, UT

Dr. Sharon G. Hadary, Executive Director
Center for Women's Business Research in Washington, DC

Constance Hill-Johnson, Owner/Managing Director
Visiting Angels in Cleveland, OH

Betsy Hoaglund, Owner
Sage Telecommunications Corporation in Commerce City, CO

Loretta Kaminsky, Assistant Director
Women’s Business Center in Williamsville, NY

Laurie Leichty, President
Contemporary Personnel Staffing & Professionals Incorporated in Liverpool, NY

Melanie Sabelhaus
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
Former SBA Deputy Administrator
Owings Mills, MD

Kat Schon, Owner and President
Portland Store Fixtures in Portland, OR

Kara Trott, President and CEO
Quantum Health in Columbus, OH

Bertha (Betty) Villanueva , President
Indian Hills Senior Community, Inc. in Euclid, OH

Facilitated by:

Jeanne Coughlin, President
The Coughlin Group, Inc.
Cleveland, OH

About Key4Women

Key4Women, a unique program launched by KeyBank, helps women business owners by providing them access to capital; customized service; financial tools and relevant networks, and underscores Key's support of causes and activities that matter most to women. Learn more about Key4Women at https://www.key.com/women

About KeyCorp

Cleveland-based KeyCorp (NYSE: KEY) is one of the nation's largest bank- based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $93 billion. Key companies provide investment management, retail and commercial banking, consumer finance, and investment banking products and services to individuals and companies throughout the United States and, for certain businesses, internationally. For more information, visit www.key.com.

KeyBank

KeyBank

KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $187 billion at June 30, 2024.

Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank Member FDIC.

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