HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass announced today that it has tapped veteran banker Chris McGillis to lead its efforts to advance its commitment to the Community Reinvestment Act, the federal legislation designed to ensure that financial institutions meet the credit needs of the communities they serve. 

McGillis' hiring as CRA program administration director furthers the bank's plan to centralize responsibility and management of its community development efforts. The announcement follows the bank's recent disclosure regarding its Community Reinvestment Act exam and its pledge to soon announce substantial commitments in loans, investments and services to support low- and moderate-income neighborhoods.

McGillis joins the bank from SunTrust, where she recently served as the bank's corporate community reinvestment officer and was responsible for the development and implementation of a programmatic strategy for CRA compliance.

"We were looking for a seasoned CRA strategist and Chris' 36 years of banking experience, more than 20 of which are in community development, made her the standout candidate," said BBVA Compass Director of Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Reymundo Ocanas. "Her ability to structure and negotiate complex strategies will help us to deliver a comprehensive CRA program that meets the needs of the communities we serve."

At BBVA Compass, she will manage the reporting, strategy development and implementation of the bank's CRA program. She will serve as the primary liaison to the bank's Digital Banking, Commercial and Global Wealth & Retail lines of business. McGillis and her team, which will include a team of analysts, will be part of Corporate Responsibility & Reputation, where responsibility for the bank's CRA program now resides. She will report to Corporate Responsibility & Reputation Director Reymundo Ocanas.

Earlier this month, BBVA Compass announced it was hiring 10 community relations officers to work with nonprofits and manage services for low- to moderate-income individuals, another example of the bank's efforts to meet CRA expectations. The bank already has placed seven community relations officers in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas, with three more positions available in Colorado, New Mexico and Texas. 

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About BBVA Group
BBVA Compass is a subsidiary of BBVA Compass Bancshares Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) (MAD: BBVA). BBVA is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a solid position in Spain, is the largest financial institution in Mexico and has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt region of the United States. Its diversified business is geared toward high-growth markets and relies on technology as a key sustainable competitive advantage. Corporate responsibility is at the core of its business model. BBVA fosters financial education and inclusion, and supports scientific research and culture. It operates with the highest integrity, a long-term vision and applies the best practices. The Group is present in the main sustainability indexes. More information about the BBVA Group can be found at www.bbva.com.

About BBVA Compass
BBVA Compass is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 673 branches, including 342 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 77 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico. BBVA Compass ranks among the top 25 largest U.S. commercial banks based on deposit market share and ranks among the largest banks in Alabama (2nd), Texas (4th) and Arizona (5th). BBVA Compass has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration and recently earned the top ranking with customers in American Banker's 2014 annual reputation survey of the top 25 largest U.S. retail banks. Additional information about BBVA Compass can be found at www.bbvacompass.com, by following @BBVACompassNews on Twitter or visiting newsroom.bbvacompass.com. 

Editor's Note:
BBVA Compass is a trade name of Compass Bank, Member FDIC.

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SOURCE BBVA Compass