HOUSTON, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- BBVA Compass announced today the 19 members of its new community advisory board, which is stacked with leaders who will help guide the bank's efforts to better serve low- to moderate-income individuals and neighborhoods and strengthen its community development program.

The BBVA Compass Community Advisory Board's members are from national organizations and in markets across the bank's seven-state footprint and bring expertise in a variety of areas — affordable housing, alternative lending and economic development, for instance, as well as financial education and inclusion. They're tasked with giving BBVA Compass executives and board members guidance and feedback on the bank's restructured Community Reinvestment Act program and will provide referrals for business opportunities in mortgage, small business and commercial lending that will help the bank meet its CRA goals.

"These are leaders in their respective fields, and all of them are dedicated to serving the housing, community and economic development needs of diverse communities across the U.S.," said BBVA Compass Chairman and CEO Manolo Sanchez. "We're firmly committed to reaching low- to moderate-income areas, and making a difference in communities across our footprint, and the community advisory board is critical to those efforts."

The BBVA Compass Community Advisory Board is made up of 15 members who serve areas across the bank's footprint and four members from national organizations. They are:  

Alabama

• Robert Dickerson, Birmingham Business Resource Center executive director
• Dwayne C. Vaughn, Mobile Housing Board executive director
• David Fleming, REV Birmingham president & CEO

Arizona

• Tom Espinoza, Raza Development Fund president & CEO

California

• Ralph Lippman, California Community Economic Development Association executive director
• Tia Boatman Patterson, California Housing Finance Agency executive director
• Orson Aguilar, The Greenlining Institute executive director

Colorado

• Sean Doherty, Mile High Community Loan Fund executive director

Florida

• Jaimie Ross, Florida Housing Coalition president

New Mexico

• Rose Garcia, Tierra del Sol Housing Corporation executive director

Texas

• Mary Lawler, Avenue Community Development Corporation executive director
• Nick Mitchell-Bennett, Community Development Corporation of Brownsville executive director
• Janie Barrera, LiftFund president & CEO
• Noel Andres Poyo, National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders executive director
• Matt Hull, The Texas Association of Community Development Corporations executive director

National

• Frank Woodruff, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations executive director
• John Taylor, National Community Reinvestment Coalition president & CEO
• Sheila Crowley, National Low Income Housing Coalition president & CEO
• Mark Pinsky, Opportunity Finance Network president & CEO

BBVA Compass pledged last November to put $11 billion in lending, investments and services toward supporting low- and moderate-income, or LMI, individuals and neighborhoods. The five-year plan earmarks $2.1 billion for mortgage loans to LMI homebuyers and in LMI neighborhoods, $6.2 billion for small business lending, $1.8 billion for community development lending, and $900 million for community development investments.

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 672 branches, including 341 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 77 in Arizona, 62 in California, 45 in Florida, 38 in Colorado and 20 in New Mexico, and commercial and private client offices throughout the U.S. 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 its mobile app recently earned the Mobile Banking Leader in Functionality Award for the second consecutive year from Javelin Strategy & Research. 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.

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SOURCE BBVA Compass