INDIANAPOLIS, March 17, 2022 – PNC Bank announced today that Connie Bond Stuart will retire as regional president for Central and Southern Indiana effective April 30, following a 41-year career with the bank. Succeeding her will be veteran banking executive and Indiana native, Jason Eckerle, who most recently served as Midwest regional executive for PNC Commercial Banking.
Stuart held numerous roles at PNC over the course of four decades, primarily in corporate banking, to support the bank’s commitment to the growth of middle market and large corporate clients, including public, private and institutional companies throughout the Midwest and the Northeast.
A trailblazer early on in her career, she helped establish PNC’s first commercial real estate banking presence in the Washington, D.C. area in the late 1980s, at a time when few females held such responsibilities. In 2002, she was appointed regional president of PNC’s Delaware market and helped pave the way for more women to consider the position as a career path at PNC.
In 2011, she returned to her home state from Delaware to serve as regional president for Central and Southern Indiana. Stuart helped skillfully lead the company’s banking and philanthropic strategy to expand the growth of PNC’s presence in the region. During the past decade, Stuart has leveraged the PNC Foundation’s support for high-quality early education to contribute to impactful local initiatives, including the 2015 launch of the On My Pre-K program, in collaboration with a coalition of business leaders and educators led by Early Learning Indiana.
In recognition of the influence she has had in the communities in which she has served, Stuart was conferred with the Order of the First State by the governor of Delaware in 2011, the highest civilian honor for meritorious service, and was recognized by the Indianapolis Business Journal as one of the 2013 Women of Influence. She has received numerous honors throughout her career including the 2015 Castaldi Award by the United Way of Central Indiana, the 2011 Tower of Leadership Award by the United Way of Delaware, the 2009 Citizen of the Year by the Boys Scouts of America for Delaware-Maryland-Virginia Council and the 2009 Muriel Gilman Award by the 21st Century for Delaware Children.
A champion for local economic development, entrepreneurship, education and diversity and inclusion, Stuart currently serves on the boards of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, The Indy Chamber of Commerce, United Way of Central Indiana, Ascend Indiana and the Indianapolis Zoo.
“Beyond her many professional achievements and civic engagement, Connie has helped grow and cultivate the regional business landscape and the greater community,” said Scott Swanson, PNC Office of the Regional Presidents Midwest territory executive. “Connie’s commitment to workforce development has helped foster a dynamic team of local PNC leaders, ensuring her standard of excellence and passion for advocacy will be embedded in our culture for years to come.”
In the coming weeks, Stuart will begin transitioning her duties to Eckerle, who brings almost three decades of experience in commercial and corporate banking to the PNC Regional Presidents organization. He began his career as a credit analyst in 1995 for First America Bank, which later became National City Bank, and advanced from relationship manager to sales manager within commercial banking. In 2008, PNC acquired National City and he was promoted to market leader for corporate and commercial banking in Indiana. Shortly after, Eckerle was recognized for his professional achievements with the honor of being chosen as part of the Indianapolis Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2008. Most recently, he was responsible for operations, talent retention and training, and the growth trajectory for PNC’s Commercial Banking business in nearly 20 markets.
A lifelong Indianapolis native, Eckerle has helped champion PNC’s local philanthropic efforts through his volunteerism for PNC Grow Up Great® and helped elevate diversity and inclusion initiatives in the market. He has also extended his time to impact the community, having served as a board trustee of the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and a former board member of the Easter Seals Crossroads Rehabilitation Center. For more than a decade, Eckerle also helped hundreds of children develop their health and emotional well-being through sports, by dedicating his time as a coach for youth baseball, soccer and basketball at various local organizations including the YMCA and the Carmel Dad’s Club.
“Jason embodies the qualities and regional perspective integral to delivering PNC’s Main Street Bank model: exceptional business acumen, integrity and a sophisticated understanding of what is needed to help our customers, employees and communities all move forward financially,” said Swanson. “We are confident Jason’s leadership and focused involvement in the community will help fuel PNC’s continued growth across Central and Southern Indiana.”
Eckerle earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Government from Indiana University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Butler University. While at Indiana University, he participated in the Washington Leadership program and was an intern with Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar.
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.
CONTACT:
Maria Pasic
(312) 342-1565
maria.pasic@pnc.com
