SAN DIEGO, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Comerica Bank, one of the top 20 banking companies in the U.S. for small business loans, announced it has opened a full-service Small Business Banking office in downtown San Diego.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20010807/CMALOGO )

The announcement today by Michael Conboy, executive vice president for small business banking for Comerica Bank's Western Market, coincides with a continued expansion of Comerica banking services in greater San Diego.

Conboy said Richmond Boyce will oversee the San Diego small business banking office, at 701 B Street, Suite 600. The new business development officer for San Diego's small business banking office is Gary Ladrido. Boyce, a native of San Diego, has spent eight years with Comerica Bank. He holds a master's in finance from San Diego State University.

"Small businesses are a leading source for jobs and economic growth here in California, and especially in San Diego," said Conboy, who manages all small business banking in California and Arizona for the Detroit-based bank.

"We are now ready to bring Comerica Bank's reputation and years of experience as a leading provider of a full range of banking services for small businesses -- in business loans, SBA loans, retail banking, private banking, treasury management and financial services -- to San Diego's small business owners," said Conboy.

Comerica Bank's SBA Lending Group will continue to offer Small Business Administration loan services to San Diego customers from its Carlsbad office. The bank last month announced it had won designation as a national Small Business Administration Preferred Lender.

The bank also has opened a Wealth & Institutional Management office in San Diego, specifically aimed at providing private banking and wealth management services for business owners. Nga Tran Nguyen is the new vice president for private banking in San Diego.

In the last 18 months, Comerica has opened banking centers in new locations in La Jolla and Del Mar Heights and announced plans for high-profile offices in DiamondviewTower, under construction near PetcoPark. New banking centers are to open in Encinitas next month, and in Carlsbad in late summer.

The San Diego expansion is part of Comerica's growing Western Market, which reported $16 billion in assets at March 31, 2006.

Among the offers at the new Comerica Bank retail banking centers are free business checking accounts for businesses and a new small-business credit card.

Comerica Bank is a recognized leader in small business banking.

* The Export-Import Bank of the United States last month named Comerica Bank its 2006 Small Business Bank of the Year Award

* Comerica Bank ranks among the top 20 banking companies in small business loans, by total loan volume.

  *  The bank is the eighth largest SBA 7 (a) lender in the U.S.
  *  Comerica Bank is one of 12 national Preferred SBA Lenders.

* In 2005, Comerica bank received five awards for excellence in serving small businesses from Greenwich Associates in the Business Banking Research Program, demonstrating skills and commitment to helping small business owners be successful, especially in the areas of customer service and the quality of its small-business relationship managers.

About Comerica Bank

Comerica Bank is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE: CMA), a financial services company headquartered in Detroit, strategically aligned by three business segments: The Business Bank, The Retail Bank, and Wealth & Institutional Management. Comerica's approximately 10,800 employees focus on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. Comerica Bank locations can be found in Michigan, California, Texas, Arizona and Florida, with select businesses operating in several other states, Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $56.4 billion at March 31, 2005. To receive e-mail alerts of breaking Comerica news, go to http://www.comerica.com/newsalerts . For more information, go to http://www.comerica.com/ .

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PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

SOURCE: Comerica Bank

CONTACT: Barry Holtzclaw of Comerica Bank, +1-408-556-5111 or
+1-408-315-6554, bholtzclaw@comerica.com

Web site: http://www.comerica.com/