Overview
SunTrust Banks Inc. is an Atlanta-based regional lender and one of the largest banks in the U.S. Its businesses include retail and commercial, wholesale banking, mortgage, and wealth and investment management. It provides deposit, credit, trust and investment services, as well as mortgage banking, securities brokerage, capital market services and credit-related insurance. Its nearly 1,700 retail branches span the Southeastern U.S., a region hit especially hard by the real-estate crash. In 2008, the company acquired GB&T Bancshares Inc. and sold its interests in its retirement plan services subsidiary First Mercantile Trust Co. and its fuel card business.
The bank shook up its leadership team in 2008, setting up a race among senior managers to succeed James Wells as chief executive. SunTrust is a major stakeholder in Coca-Cola, having acquired a chunk of its stock from a predecessor bank, which had helped underwrite the initial public offering of the beverage giant in 1919. Its headquarters also holds the original copy of the secret Coke's secret formula at its headquarters. In 2007 it sold 9% of its Coke stake and is reportedly considering a sale or swap of its remaining 43.6 million shares, among other things.
Recruiting
The company offers online applicants several tips for interviewing with its hiring managers. Here are a few:
- Use stories and examples to demonstrate critical skills and other important accomplishments.
- Describe a situation that supports your statement or demonstrates a trait.
- Include concrete quantifiable data when possible.