BBVA USA December Recap: Austin tower, search capabilities and holiday cheer

HOUSTON, Jan. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In December, Ryan Companies, along with Page and BBVA USA, announced their plans to build a 60-story, 770-foot-tall multi-use tower in downtown Austin. BBVA currently conducts business operations on the site and expects to continue in a new 4,000 square-foot space upon project completion.

Last month, the bank also announced that it was one of a few companies that participated in the beta testing period for Yext Answers, a new natural language processing search engine that businesses can embed in their own websites and use to provide brand-verified answers. The search engine product ? now available ? is integrated into BBVA USA's website to help customers get the answers needed for their financial journey.

Also, in December, the BBVA Foundation wrapped up the seventh year of its signature holiday initiative, Project Blue Elf. In collaboration with its nonprofit partners from across the bank's footprint, the BBVA Foundation hosted 26 holiday events across 23 markets to recognize more than 1,000 individuals and families participating in its financial education program.

Presented below are articles and news from December 2019 that were posted on the bank's online newsroom; global media platform, bbva.com; and financial education blog, MoneyFit.

Corporate News

BBVA USA takes part in new multi-use tower in downtown Austin
BBVA USA joined Ryan Companies and Page in announcing their plans to build a 60 floor multi-use tower in Austin's Central Business District. "BBVA's mission of creating opportunities and its commitment to the places it calls home is epitomized in this project," said BBVA USA Austin CEO Jon Rebello. "Our involvement in this landmark project will enhance our ability to serve our Austin clients."

BBVA USA named the 2019 CX Leader for U.S. Commercial Middle Market Banking by Greenwich Associates
BBVA USA has been named as a 2019 CX Leader for U.S. Commercial Middle Market Banking Greenwich Associates, a research-based financial consulting firm. The firm recognizes the bank for building and implementing a detailed customer experience program that identifies and addresses issues.

BBVA USA named one of GOBankingRates' Best Regional Banks of 2020
BBVA USA was named one of the Best Regional Banks of 2020 by GOBankingRates, an online resource that helps consumers find the best financial products nationwide. The listing highlighted BBVA's free checking account options and 12-month CD rate, as well as its fee-free ATM access for higher level checking accounts.

BBVA USA appoints Heather Pesikoff as Senior Trust Advisor and Head of Specialized Trust Services
Pesikoff, a 20-year veteran in the asset management, tax and estate planning and trust services industry, will be responsible for the management of all fiduciary and trust activity, a key facet of BBVA Investment Services

Market Spotlight

BBVA USA promotes long-time employee and leader Susana Valencia to the position of Texas Border and Gulf Coast CEO
BBVA USA announced that Susana Valencia has been named its Texas Border and Gulf Coast CEO. Her responsibilities include overseeing commercial banking operations in Beaumont, El Paso, the Rio Grande Valley, Corpus Christi and Laredo, a market where she previously served as Laredo City President.

A Q&A with BBVA USA's new Austin CEO, Jon Rebello
In November 2019, BBVA USA appointed Jon Rebello as its new Austin CEO, taking over a booming market in both the digital and economic landscape. With an eclectic market to oversee, and an experienced team behind him, Rebello is more than ready to make the jump from his previous position of Texas Border and Gulf Coast CEO.

BBVA USA Jacksonville Market CEO Nelson Bradshaw named to second FDFC term
BBVA USA Jacksonville Market CEO Nelson Bradshaw was named by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to serve a second term in the Florida Development Finance Corporation. Bradshaw, who serves as the organization's treasurer, was one of four members announced and the only returning member.

BBVA USA gives $30,000 in grants to Jacksonville nonprofits working to promote small business and entrepreneurship
BBVA USA provided $10,000 grants to three nonprofits in Jacksonville who are focused on growth and development of small business and entrepreneurship. The $30,000 brings the bank's 2019 grant total in the Jacksonville area to over $180,000.

BBVA USA announces the addition of five business bankers to its Houston Commercial Emerging Markets team
BBVA USA, in its continued commitment to creating opportunities for the area's business landscape, added five veteran bankers to its Houston Commercial Emerging Markets team. The new hires are comprised of experienced banking professionals with diverse backgrounds in the industry, ranging from commercial lending, credit analysis, retail, and auto lending, among other areas.

Digital Banking & Innovation

Revolutionizing customer experience across industries with BBVA Open Platform
In this article, BBVA USA President and CEO Javier Rodríguez Soler shares insight on how the bank is enhancing the customer experience not only in the banking sector, but across industries. With BBVA Open Platform, companies can leverage the bank's API-driven banking and payment services under their own brand to create innovative solutions for customers.

Got a question? BBVA USA search has the (right) answer.
Search engine tech company Yext has created a natural language processing search engine that businesses can embed in their own websites. BBVA USA was one of a few companies across all industries that participated in the beta period for Yext Answers. With Yext Answers' natural and predictive search capabilities integrated in BBVA USA's website, the bank can better serve up brand-verified answers for customers' questions.

Forbes "100 Stats on Digital Transformation and Customer Experience" reflects BBVA's own digital transformation
In a recent Forbes article, contributor Blake Morgan shared 100 stats that demonstrate the growth and importance of digital transformation and its impact on customer experience. At the heart of its own digital transformation, BBVA has been continuously focused on blending human relationships and the digital experience.

Responsible Business

A decade of service: AFP and BBVA team up once again
For the tenth consecutive year, BBVA USA sponsored the Association for Financial Professionals' annual community service day project, AFP Aware ? 2019's projects aimed to uplift the Boston community.

BBVA Momentum winner named to Forbes magazine list of 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs
Laura Hertz of Gifts for Good recently won first place in the 2019 edition of BBVA USA's social entrepreneur accelerator program, BBVA Momentum. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Hertz was recently recognized by Forbes in its list of 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs for 2020.

Economic Research

BBVA Research releases U.S. Recession Risk Monitor
BBVA Research released its U.S. Recession Risk Monitor, noting that the probability of a recession within the coming 12 months (from December 2019) is at a one-year low, with the likelihood at 30 percent.

BBVA Research releases U.S. Oil Prices Outlook
BBVA Research released its U.S. Oil Prices Outlook, highlighting the expectation that oil production will expand further in 2020, though at a slower pace.

Resource Articles

What is a CDFI?
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) are private institutions dedicated to facilitating economic growth, job creation and opportunity in low-income communities through credit, investment and affordable financial services. BBVA has provided support and funding for CDFIs, recently reaching $100 million in CDFI investments.

Can you be successful in the gig economy?
More and more Americans are working on a contract, short-term basis for a variety of customers, rather than working on a long-term basis for one employer. Despite the challenges, millions of Americans are making their living as gig workers. Interested in joining the gig economy? In this article, we provide a checklist to help you.

The benefits of multiple accounts at a single bank
There are a few reasons that people maintain multiple accounts, including organization, goal-setting and earnings rates. If you share finances with a partner or other person, privacy and independence could also come into play.

When is the best time to buy a car?
Buying a car is complex enough ? there are financing options to consider, models to take into account, gas mileage, safety, budget, among other aspects. However, what could help you in your quest for a quality automobile is figuring out exactly when the best time of year is to purchase a car.

Investments: What is asset allocation?
Investors often spread their resources over various types of investments such as stocks, bonds, cash accounts and mutual funds. Rather than picking each investment on its own, thoughtful investors tend to look at their holdings as a whole, building portfolios that match their personal goals, life stage, time frame and tolerance for financial risk known as asset allocation.

Financial Fundamentals: Understanding retirement planning
Most financial experts agree that retirement planning is the most important financial planning you can do. Even so, there are still many Americans who have no retirement savings and many others who don't have enough. Understanding the different types of retirement savings accounts can be extremely helpful as you start to plan for the future. In this article, we provide some of the most common types of accounts.

For more BBVA news visit, www.bbva.com and the U.S. Newsroom.

Additional news updates can be found via Twitter and Instagram.

For more financial information about BBVA Compass, visit bbvausa.investorroom.com.

About BBVA

BBVA Group
BBVA (NYSE: BBVA) is a customer-centric global financial services group founded in 1857. The Group has a strong leadership position in the Spanish market, is the largest financial institution in Mexico, it has leading franchises in South America and the Sunbelt Region of the United States. It is also the leading shareholder in Turkey's Garanti BBVA. Its purpose is to bring the age of opportunities to everyone, based on our customers' real needs: provide the best solutions, helping them make the best financial decisions, through an easy and convenient experience. The institution rests in solid values: Customer comes first, we think big and we are one team. Its responsible banking model aspires to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable society.

BBVA USA
In the U.S., BBVA is a Sunbelt-based financial institution that operates 641 branches, including 330 in Texas, 89 in Alabama, 63 in Arizona, 61 in California, 44 in Florida, 37 in Colorado and 17 in New Mexico. The bank 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 (6th). In the U.S., BBVA has been recognized as one of the leading small business lenders by the Small Business Administration (SBA) and ranked 8th nationally in terms of dollar volume of SBA loans originated in fiscal year 2018.

SOURCE BBVA USA