This month The Local Take programming has been brought to you by PNC. They have supported our Black History Month efforts with vignettes and programming at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Our PNC partnership began in 2015 and has only improved over the years. To close out their month of sponsorship, we are speaking with Courtney Smith, Senior Vice President, Market Manager for Community Development Banking.
I asked Smith why it has been important for PNC to support Black History Month programming and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. He shares that PNC provided the primary funding for the build-out of the center. He speaks about supporting their mission from the beginning.
Smith shares other initiatives that PNC supports and speaks about their “Grow-Up Great”Program, which began with the support of Sesame Street in their corporate home of Pittsburgh. This program supports their goal of financial education and literacy. The program is built on the premise that education is a “powerful means for economic and social mobility.” Smith also speaks about PNC programs for home ownership and minority business development.
The financial industry can be insular, and I asked Smith how he came to finance as a career. He speaks about his interest in business and community development. He says that finance and banking offer great opportunities for people with tech, history, law, or even real estate backgrounds.
For more information about PNC community initiatives or a career in banking, feel free to reach out to Courtney Smith.