Bank of America 2013 Annual Report Download - page 12

Fueling businesses
in Chicago
Innovation has a home in
America’s third-largest
city, Chicago. Home of the
fi rst skyscraper, the fi rst
Ferris wheel, the fi rst steel
railroad and the fi rst modern
commodities exchange,
Chicago visionaries helped
shape the landscape of our
cities and fi nancial system.
CHICAGO CONNECTIONS
• Bank of America’s presence in the Windy
City is built upon decades of tradition
and commitment, including fi nancing
the rebuilding of the city a er the Great
Chicago Fire of 1871 and supporting
businesses and residents during the
Great Depression.
• We are also creating a more vibrant
city today through our sponsorships of
the Chicago Symphony Orchestra,
Chicago Botanic Garden, Art Institute
of Chicago, Winter Wonderfest at Navy
Pier and the Chicago Cubs.
Spinning off a fl oral giant
FTD, a premier global provider of fl oral and related products and
services in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Ireland, has been a client
of Bank of America Merrill Lynch since 1973. The business
uses the highly recognized FTD and Interfl ora brands, which
are represented by the iconic Mercury Man logo, displayed in
40,000 fl oral shops in 150 countries. When FTD planned to spin
off into a separate, publicly traded entity from parent company,
United Online, in 2012, the Bank of America Merrill Lynch team
proposed a debt refi nancing that would save FTD more than
$5 million in interest savings. The successful offering cemented
our relationship with FTD. Throughout 2013, FTD’s management
team became more impressed with our proactive, continued
engagement, creative ideas and proven leadership in the
syndicated loan market. The relationship has now expanded
into additional treasury management, employee benefi ts and
merchant services, with more potential on the horizon.
From interns to mentors
In the summer of 2013, members of Bank of America’s Student
Leaders program were assigned internships at Boys & Girls
Clubs locations throughout Chicago. They worked side by side
with leadership at the youth development organization to
advance the academic achievement, character and leadership,
and healthy lifestyles of their peers. In the process, these
civically minded students learned a lot about themselves and
their aspirations for the future. The work of these students
builds on the decades-long relationship between Bank of
America and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. The bank
named the organization a Neighborhood Builder last year, in
addition to providing summer interns over the past 10 years.
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