KeyBank Ascends To Top Ten SBA 7(a) Lenders Nationally

CLEVELAND, Oct. 11, 2017

KeyBank's nationally ranked SBA loan program reflects its commitment to help clients and communities thrive by providing small business owners with valuable expertise and flexible financing solutions.

"We believe the SBA Programs empower small business owners to launch, grow, expand or evolve their businesses. For years, KeyBank has had a dedicated and specialized SBA staff on the ground with small business owners, helping them access capital from the SBA loan programs to grow their businesses and benefit the communities they operate in," said Jim Fliss, National Manager of KeyBank's SBA Program. "Every day, we wake up ready to work with and for these owners. We are proud of our efforts, and our continued growth is an on-going commitment to small businesses."

KeyBank earned a number one ranking in SBA loan volume, ahead of all other lenders, in SBA districts Syracuse and Seattle; ranked second in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Indiana; third in Buffalo and fourth in Alaska. It increased lending by more than 100 percent in 2017 compared to 2016 in Cleveland, Syracuse, Massachusetts, New York and Alaska, based on approved dollars.

KeyBank found many small business owners leveraged the SBA Programs to complete change of ownership deals in 2017, contributing to lending activity. Change-of-ownership loans more than doubled at KeyBank compared to FY 2015, as more Baby Boomers prepare to retire and sell their businesses.

"The rising number of Baby Boomers actively looking to sell their businesses and transition into retirement continues to be a major demographic trend fueling growth," continued Fliss. "SBA Lending Programs are pivotal to meeting the evolving needs of small business owners, from change of ownership to growth financing that makes purchasing new equipment, facilities, and products possible – all while conserving cash and improving cash flow. Our dedicated SBA lending staff looks forward to providing another great year of service and expertise to our clients and communities in 2018."

About KeyCorp 
KeyCorp's (NYSE: KEY) roots trace back 190 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 $135.8 billion at June 30, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 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 is Member FDIC.