Mel Martinez, the former U.S. Senator for Florida and former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary under President George W. Bush, is joining JPMorgan Chase as chairman for Florida, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
The Cuba-born lawyer will be based in Orlando and will serve on JP Morgan Chase’s executive committee. He will represent the financial services giant and second-largest U.S. bank at the “most senior levels to clients – from businesses to large corporations to non-profits and governments,” Chase said in a statement today.
At President Bush’s request, Martinez became HUD Secretary in 2001. He was elected as the first Cuban-American to the U.S. Senate in 2004.
“Mel’s record of perseverance, hard work and integrity is a perfect complement to the many Chase and J.P. Morgan executives and bankers already there,” said Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase.
Since acquiring Washington Mutual in 2008, n Chase has hired hundreds to staff an expansion in Florida as it adds consumer, commercial, private and investment banking services.
Chase is planning at least 20 branches a year to its existing network of 240 branches and 1,000 automatic teller machines in the state.
Chase serves nearly 6 million customers in Florida and employs 14,000 Floridians. The bank also has provided loan counseling for more than 18,000 families through its 11 Chase Homeownership Centers in Florida.
