U.S. Banker Names SunTrust Mortgage Executive One of Top 25 Women to Watch in Banking

RICHMOND, Va., Oct. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- SunTrust Mortgage, Inc. is pleased to announce that Martha R. Simmons, executive vice president and national retail production manager, has been named by U.S. Banker as one of "25 Women to Watch," which is part of the magazine's third-annual ranking of the "25 Most Powerful Women in Banking."

According to Holly Sraeel, editorial director for U.S. Banker, Simmons was one of 5,070 women interviewed for this prestigious ranking, which exemplifies a commitment to excellence, personal integrity and business acumen. The article appears in the October 2005 issue of U.S. Banker.

"Martha personifies the characteristics of a true leader," said Sterling Edmunds, Jr., president of SunTrust Mortgage, Inc. "I am pleased that U.S. Banker is honoring her in this manner. She brings a wealth of valuable experience and insight to her role as our national retail production manager and she is worthy of this recognition."

Simmons, a long-term veteran of SunTrust Mortgage, assumed her current leadership role in 2004. As the national retail production manager, she manages a $19 billion Dollar retail production channel that includes builder services and covers key markets in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and Northeastern United States.

"Positions of authority in the banking industry have dramatically changed over the past 25 years," Simmons said. "I am delighted to be honored by U.S. Banker and believe women in positions of authority in this industry have a unique opportunity to shape the future of banking. I am pleased to be a part of this exciting time in mortgage banking."

Previously, Simmons served as the mortgage group line of business manager for SunTrust Mortgage's Central Region, which includes operations in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina. She is also the former president of the Gainesville, Georgia market and the mortgage line of business manager for SunTrust Bank.

Her professional certifications include: American Bankers Association National Trust School, Northwestern University; American Bankers Association National Commercial Lending School, University of Oklahoma; American Bankers Association National Commercial Lending Graduate School, University of Oklahoma; and School for Executive Development, University of Georgia.

SunTrust Mortgage, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of SunTrust Bank, one of the nation's largest commercial banking organizations. As of June 30, 2005, SunTrust Banks, Inc. had total assets of $169.0 billion and total deposits of $109.6 billion. SunTrust Mortgage originates loans through 135 locations in SunTrust markets and adjacent states, maintains correspondent and broker relationships in 48 states, and services mortgage loans in 50 states and the District of Columbia.