Ramon Berlanga, Comerica Branch Manager, Serves Hispanic Community

Ramon Berlanga is the manager of Comericašs Grand Rapids branch. He has been with the company for five years. "When I was in college, I worked as a bank teller part-time but knew I wanted to do more in the banking industry," he explains. "I graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in business/accounting. "I discovered something about the Hispanic community that is very true throughout Hispanic culture: We are a very loyal people. No matter what branch I worked for, Hispanic customers would follow me," Berlanga says. "They would change bank branches just to bank where I would be -- even if it meant passing a bank closer to their homes." Berlanga was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, and is part of a very large family -- he has four brothers and four sisters. Ramon came to the US in 1982 to attend school, and in 1986, the rest of the family made the move as well. In the greater Grand Rapids area, the Berlanga family found a growing enclave of Hispanics -- so Ramonšs bilingual skills are a big asset to him. "I help businessmen with their accounts, loans and other business transactions, but I also am more than willing to help someone with their passbook account as well. People feel more at ease with someone who can communicate with them not only in their native language, but who also understands their culture as well," Berlanga explains.

Besides being a successful bank manager, the 27-year-old Berlanga is happily married and working on his masteršs degree. He believes that college students today have great opportunities in front of them, but they have to be proactive about it. "Get involved in college activities and start a network of friends, teachers and business professionals who can help you," Berlanga says. "Get to know business people. Talk to people in the field that youšre interested in pursuing. Working at the bank part-time and attending college helped me focus on the career Išm in today."

Comerica Celebrates 150 Years of Service

Comerica Inc. is a multi-state financial services provider headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, with banking subsidiaries in Michigan, California and Texas, banking operations in Florida, and businesses, in nine other states. Comerica also operates banking subsidiaries in Canada in Mexico. Comerica celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1999. Comerica is the 24th largest bank holding company in the U.S. -- a Fortune 500 company with $37 million in assets -- and is among the top 200 banking companies in the world, based on assets. Comerica is the nationšs 12th largest commercial business lender, the 17th largest small-business lender, and ranks first nationally in commercial loans as a percent of total assets. Comericašs 10,000 employees deliver comprehensive financial services through a network that includes approximately 340 branch and supermarket offices, 836 automated teller machines, banking by personal computer, and telephone banking. Comerica is organized into three focused operating units: The Business Bank, comprised of Global Corporate Banking and National Business Finance; The Individual Bank, comprised of Consumer Banking, Consumer Lending, Mortgage Banking, Small Business Banking, and Private Banking; and The Investment Bank, comprised of Investment Services, including Insurance, and Institutional Trust.