For Hugh Rowden, senior vice president, servicing and community relations, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, evaluating the needs of the African American community and providing the right solutions are imperative for home and property preservation.
“What’s important to African Americans, in spite of the current economic situation, is for them to be able to provide for their families and send their kids to college,” says Rowden. “I am excited when I get the opportunity to see a young couple purchase a home or when I have the opportunity to witness a homeowner’s success when [Wells Fargo] modifies their home mortgage.”
The regional director for the southern region — Arkansas, Texas, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia — Rowden communicates with key stakeholders and leaders in the community daily.
Through the “Leading the Way Home” national program, Wells Fargo’s customized answer to avoid preventable foreclosures for customers, Rowden has the opportunity to better serve the communities in his scope.
“We really spend time in the community listening to our consumers, community leaders and elected officials to make sure that we understand what their needs are and that we’re providing exceptional service in the market,” he explains.
“We work closely with organizations like NAACP, Rainbow Push, the National Urban League, 100 Black Men, and Mocha Moms, helping to encourage their members to use Wells Fargo services like the Hands on Banking program, which can be found on handsonbanking.org. Anyone from ages 5 to 100 can use these tools to better understand their finances. Being able to use these tools is really important.”
The tools on the site run the gamut. It doesn’t matter if you’re interested in building your credit and your investments, owning a small business, shopping for a new home, or investing in your education, there are online courses and “all the basic money tools, skills, and information you need.”
Rowden adds, “It’s not about just writing a check. It’s about checking in with those communities and organizations.”
A member of Wells Fargo’s CEO Enterprise Diversity Council, which is comprised of 25 executives across the country, Rowden explains how he’s making a difference at the company internally. “Our key focus is diversity, from a gender standpoint and also from an ethnicity standpoint, and creating the opportunity to develop and manage our talent that’s internal just to make sure that our organizations represent the communities in all leadership roles.”
Rowden earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Northern Colorado and attended the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton School of Business for Middle Management Leadership Development. –yvette caslin
