06/20/2024
Citizens Offers Insights, Resources and Networking Opportunities to Small Business Community Champions
Fellowship program with Luminary is latest initiative to help Business Banking clients
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Citizens has awarded its Small Business Community Champions a one-year membership to Luminary, a global professional education and networking platform that offers programming and events to its community through all phases of their professional and entrepreneurial journeys.
Kicked off this month by Brendan Coughlin, Citizens vice chair and head of consumer banking, Mark Valentino, Citizens head of business banking, and Cate Luzio, founder and CEO of Luminary, The Citizens Luminary Fellowship program will give the 142 Citizens Small Business Community Champions, who have received grants of more than $1.5 million in all from the bank, another resource to supplement the advice and guidance they receive from their Citizens relationship managers.
“We know how hard it is to run a small business and how sometimes you can feel alone as you work to achieve your goals,” said Valentino. “Citizens acts as a convener of businesses and this partnership with Luminary will help spur idea-sharing and fuel business growth. The Citizens Luminary Fellowship program is our latest effort to support our Small Business Community Champions, who are dedicated not just to building their businesses but also to making a positive impact on the communities where we all live and work.”
“The foundation of America is built on small businesses,” said Luzio. “The Citizens Luminary Fellowship is our latest partnership reinforcing our commitment to delivering tools and resources that impact small business owners of any size, no matter where they are in their entrepreneurial journeys.”
She continued, “Just as not everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder to the C-suite, there are many different definitions of ‘success’ – some entrepreneurs are fulfilling a dream while others want the flexibility owning their own business represents. Our goal is to support all those who have the courage to try. This partnership is even more special to me personally, as Don McCree, senior vice chair and head of commercial banking at Citizens, is one of my mentors and among the first people who encouraged and supported me when I decided to leave my 20-year banking career and start Luminary.”
The fellowship program follows Citizens’ partnership with Mastercard Digital Doors, which gives Citizens Business Banking clients access to tools and insights to up their e-commerce game. A discounted Luminary membership was recently included as a Mastercard benefit for World or World Elite Mastercard holders so Citizens Business Mastercard holders also have access Luminary’s services for 30 percent off.
In addition to these programs, Citizens offers a suite of solutions for small businesses, including a tailored banking platform Cash Flow Essentials and features such as Digital Business Account Opening, Digital Invoicing, Zelle for business, mobile deposit and Cash Flow Forecasting.
“We are working closely with our small business clients to identify their needs and provide insights and solutions that will help them confidently run their businesses,” added Valentino.
For more information about Citizens’ solutions for small businesses, please click here.
About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest financial institutions, with $220.4 billion in assets as of March 31, 2024. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,300 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook.
