Office in Surprise is first of new locations in Maricopa County

PHOENIX, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Comerica Bank announced today it is opening four new banking centers in the Phoenix metropolitan area in 2009, continuing an expansion program begun in 2005.

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The opening late last month of a new banking center in Surprise, at 14211 W. Bell Rd., marked the start of the latest round of new office openings for Comerica in Arizona. New banking centers are under construction and scheduled to open in the second half of 2009 in Chandler, Goodyear and the Biltmore area of north Phoenix, said Meredith Russell, president of Comerica Bank operations in Arizona. The bank also opened four banking centers in 2008 - in Avondale, Happy Valley, Mesa and Tempe.

The manager of the new banking center in Surprise is Gary Shaffer, who also lives in Surprise. The assistant manager is Kevin Lira. They can be reached at 623-556-4509.

Dallas-based Comerica Bank, one of the 20th largest banks in the U.S., expects to have a total of 16 banking centers in Maricopa County by the end of 2009, said Russell. The bank had one office in the county in mid-2005.

"We continue to have confidence in the long-range outlook for the Phoenix-area economy," said Russell. "Comerica is a healthy bank with a strong capital position, able to help build futures for communities, families and employers of all sizes. Our deposits are insured, and we have money to lend."

"These new locations continue our strategy to improve access to Comerica's wide range of financial services in the Valley," said Russell.

Comerica, whose predecessor bank was founded in Michigan in 1849, offers complete checking and FDIC-insured deposit accounts, financial planning expertise, on-the-job banking, cash management and other business services, and convenient Saturday hours at its new Arizona locations. The bank and its managers have built community ties with local chambers of commerce, the Arizona Small Business Association, Junior Achievement, Fresh Start, Arizona State University and the Phoenix Coyotes.

About Comerica Bank

Comerica Bank is a subsidiary of Comerica Incorporated , a Dallas-based company strategically aligned into three major business segments: the Business Bank, the Retail Bank, and Wealth & Institutional Management. Comerica focuses on relationships and helping businesses and people be successful. In addition to Arizona and California, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Florida, Michigan and Texas, with select businesses operating in several other states, Canada, China and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $67.5 billion at Dec. 31, 2008. To receive e-mail alerts of breaking Comerica news, go to www.comerica.com/newsalerts. (Or, for more information, go to www.comerica.com.)

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SOURCE: Comerica Bank

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