SunTrust 2015 Annual Report Download - page 7

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expanding certain businesses and de-emphasizing lower-return
portfolios. The strong growth in our consumer-direct portfolios,
which includes LightStream, our partnership with GreenSky, and
credit cards, has afforded us the opportunity to sell, securitize,
or reduce production in lower-return areas. This was partially
evidenced by our $1 billion indirect auto securitization this past
year, which improved our ROA and also enhanced our ability to
be a strong loan origination partner to our auto dealer clients. In
the Mortgage segment, we are leveraging our capacity to grow
our servicing portfolio organically and through acquisitions, as
we view performing servicing as a core competency and a solid
ROE business.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to recognize a key milestone in our Company’s history:
2015 marked the 30th anniversary of the merger between the Trust
Company of Georgia, headquartered in Atlanta, and SunBanks, Inc.,
headquartered in Orlando, which created SunTrust Banks, Inc. I am
proud of our rich heritage, and the longevity of this franchise is a
testament to our longstanding commitment to put our clients and
communities first. As Linton Allen, a founder of SunBank said, “If
you build your community, you build your bank.” Those words still
inspire us today.
In December 2015, SunTrust welcomed two new directors, Dallas S.
Clement, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Cox
Enterprises, and Bruce L. Tanner, executive vice president and chief
financial officer for Lockheed Martin Corporation. We look forward
to benefiting from both of their extensive finance and business
experience and perspectives. In addition, Robert M. Beall, II, David
H. Hughes, and William A. Linnenbringer will retire from the board
when their current terms expire at SunTrust’s Annual Meeting of
Shareholders in April 2016. I want to thank these leaders for their
dedication and commitment to representing the interests of our
clients, shareholders and teammates throughout their tenures on
the board, particularly David, who was an original SunTrust director,
which is noteworthy given our anniversary.
To conclude, I thank our teammates for their key role in
delivering our 2015 financial results. I also thank each of you, our
shareholders, for your continued investment and support. The
stewardship of your capital is my most important responsibility.
In 2015, your capital helped us originate $97 billion of loans,
enabling hundreds of thousands of clients across the country
to achieve significant milestones, such as buying a house,
expanding their business, or sending their children to college. I
am humbled daily by the opportunity and responsibility we have
to Light the Way to Financial Well-Being for millions of clients.
With three-quarters of Americans worried about money, it is this
responsibility which led to my conviction that SunTrust needed
to build upon its purpose by sparking a movement for financial
confidence. We call this movement “onUp.” It is designed to be
a catalyst in inspiring people to make personal commitments
to improve their financial health. Through onUp.com and other
initiatives, we will provide tools, resources, and hopefully a little
motivation, to take the first step in moving from financial stress
to financial confidence—all with the goal of allowing our consumer
and business clients to pursue a life well spent and to achieve
smart, long-term growth. We stand ready and steadfast and are
excited about the opportunity ahead.
WILLIAM H. ROGERS, JR.
CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
SUNTRUST BANKS, INC.
FEBRUARY 26, 2016
“I also thank each of you, our
shareholders, for your continued
investment and support.
The stewardship of your capital
is my most important
responsibility. In 2015, your
capital helped us originate
$97 billion of loans, enabling
hundreds of thousands of
clients across the country to
achieve significant milestones,
such as buying a house,
expanding their business, or
sending their children to college.”
Statements regarding our goals, objectives, strategies, priorities, future asset quality, future capital returns to investors, and future investments are forward-looking statements. Investors are
cautioned against placing undue reliance upon these statements since they are subject to material risks and uncertainties. We list some of the factors that could affect these statements in the
attached annual report on Form 10-K at Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis, beginning on page 22.