Detroit Regional Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah issued the following congratulatory statement on former Board Chair Sandy Pierce’s accomplished career at Huntington:
Chamber Congratulates Former Board Chair Sandy Pierce on Her Accomplished Career at Huntington
September 18, 2023
“On behalf of the Detroit Regional Chamber team, I am thrilled to congratulate my dear friend, advisor, and former Board Chair Sandy Pierce on her accomplished career at Huntington. With 40 years in the banking industry, Sandy has certainly left her mark as a trailblazer and fixture in the Detroit business community. The Chamber is deeply appreciative of her partnership and leadership over the years and wishes her the absolute best in her next chapter in both business and civic leadership.”
– Sandy K. Baruah, President and Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Regional Chamber
Read the announcement in Crain’s Detroit Business below.
Crain’s Detroit Business
Sept. 15, 2023
Nick Manes
Long-time metro Detroit banking executive Sandy Pierce will leave Huntington Bank at the end of the year, Crain’s has learned.
Both Pierce and a Huntington spokesperson confirmed the executive’s pending departure from the Columbus-based bank.
While at Huntington, Pierce has led statewide activities for the bank, the second-largest in Michigan with about $38 billion in deposits, according to Crain’s data. Pierce has also led Huntington’s private banking business for high-net-worth individuals.
A replacement for Pierce’s role has not been disclosed.
In an email to Crain’s on Friday, Pierce reflected on her career in the banking sector.
“When I think about my 40 years in this industry, it’s the people who’ve had a profound impact on me,” Pierce said. “My mentors who taught me the art and science of risk and reward. My clients who inspired me with their grit, their determination, their vision. My colleagues who made me a better banker, a better leader. My friends and family who made me a better person.”
“A hallmark of Sandy’s strong leadership is her deep-rooted passion for serving others and helping people achieve their goals. She leads by example, with a tremendous ability to engage, motivate and inspire—and ultimately drive results,” Steve Steinour, Huntington’s chairman, president and CEO, said in a statement. “She has not only helped fuel Huntington’s growth over the years but has made a profound and lasting impact on the culture of our bank and how we work together to serve our customers and support our communities. I am certain she will continue to be a great leader throughout Michigan”
A Detroit native who grew up on Chene Street in a flat above her parents’ bar, Pierce joined Huntington in 2016 following its acquisition of FirstMerit Bank, where she had been vice chair of FirstMerit Corp. and chair and chief executive officer of FirstMerit Michigan.
Pierce has long maintained a strong presence in the Southeast Michigan business community.
In July, Pierce was named to sit on the board of Ann Arbor-based investment firm Renaissance Venture Capital, and is also serving on the board of trustees at Michigan State University for a term through 2028.
Pierce is also chair of the Detroit Economic Club, and serves in various other board and civic roles.
In 2021, Pierce was named one of Crain’s Most Influential Women.
At that time, she reflected on advancing her career in what has long been seen as a male-dominated industry.
“When I was starting out in the business, there were even fewer women in (banking). I was in the commercial lending side of the house, and there were even fewer women,” Pierce said at the time. “And I think that women competed with each other. And today, what I see is women helping each other. So … you used to have to rely on the men in the business to advocate for you. Today, the women are really gathering together to help each other, to advocate for each other and to mentor each other.”