News Release  

Contact:

Amy Frantti, U.S. Bank, (612) 303-0733, [email protected]

Brian Butler, Freedom Alliance (813) 763-2007, [email protected]

 

 

TUCSON, Ariz. (May 22, 2014) – On Thursday, May 29, U.S. Bank, in partnership with Freedom Alliance and Five Brothers, will donate a home to a deserving, injured United States Army veteran in Tucson, Arizona. Representatives of U.S. Bank, Freedom Alliance and Five Brothers will present keys to Sgt. Paul Kelly at 10 a.m. The new mortgage-free home is located 2244 West Silverbell Oasis Way.

 

Sgt. Kelly joined the Army National Guard in 2005. His assignments took place in locales including Missouri, California and Germany. While deployed to Kuwait as a Logistical Task Officer, he was severely injured. Kelly has since been medically retired.

 

Kelly was born in California and raised in a military family. He is an outdoor enthusiast and has participated in several rehabilitation activities offered by Freedom Alliance, including a four–day, 65-mile fishing trip down the Rogue River in Northern Oregon.

 

On receiving his new home he commented, “I am still in awe by the fact my family and I were chosen for this amazing opportunity. Once we get settled in our new home, we want to reach out to injured service members to help them navigate through the available resources and ease into civilian life – like Freedom Alliance has done for me. The organization helped me realize my life is different than before, but not over.”

 

The home donation stemmed from a partnership between U.S. Bank, Freedom Alliance and Five Brothers, a real estate management company that helped renovate the home. Several U.S. Bank officials as well as representatives from Freedom Alliance and Five Brothers will be present to welcome Kelly and his family to their new home, including:

 

  • Buck Brown, in-store district manager for U.S. Bank in Tucson;
  • Brian Schwallie, president of U.S. Bank in Arizona;
  • Art Pérez, community affairs manager, U.S. Bank;
  • Michael Sackmaster, vice president of REO, Residential Mortgage Default Management
  • Thomas Kilgannon, president of Freedom Alliance, and
  • Joe Badalamenti, chief executive officer of Five Brothers.

 

“U.S. Bank is extremely proud to partner with Freedom Alliance to present this home to Sergeant Kelly, a veteran who valiantly served our country,” said Wardell “Buck” Brown, in-store/on-site district manager for U.S. Bank in Tucson. “U.S. Bank employs approximately 2,000 current and former members of the U.S. military, and has been recognized nationally as a top employer for veterans. U.S. Bank is committed to donating homes to wounded veterans when and where we can, and we plan to continue our program going forward.”

 

In addition to partnering with military service organizations such as Freedom Alliance, U.S. Bank supports Guard and Reserve employees through its Proud to Serve program, a company-wide initiative focused on hiring and supporting service members and their families. U.S. Bank hired more than 1,100 veterans between 2012 and 2013. U.S. Bank also received the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award in 2013 for its exceptional support of Guard and Reserve employees, including generous paid time-off policies for veterans and military family members.

 

Kelly’s home was donated through a partnership with Freedom Alliance and its Heroes to Homeowners program. “Paul Kelly is one of those great Americans who heard and followed President Kennedy’s famous exhortation to ‘ask what you can do for your country,’” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “When our nation needed volunteers, Paul was among those who heeded the call. We’re proud to partner with U.S. Bank and offer Sgt. Kelly this home as recognition for his service and sacrifice.”

 

About Freedom Alliance  

Freedom Alliance is a charitable organization which honors and supports America’s military and their families. Freedom Alliance has awarded $8 million in college scholarships to the children of fallen or disabled service members; shipped more than 100,000 care packages to troops deployed overseas; and spent millions of dollars helping our troops rehabilitate and repair family relationships strained by the wounds of war. Visit www.FreedomAlliance.org.

 

About Five Brothers

Founded in 1967, Five Brothers provides innovative, regulatory-compliant default management solutions that save time, eliminate errors and increase efficiency for commercial and residential mortgage servicers nationwide. Proven on-the-ground field services, experience-based partnering, advanced technology and knowledgeable customer and field service professionals, empower our clients to maximize asset preservation while reducing costs, streamlining operations and optimizing borrower relationships. Visit them at www.fivebrms.com.

 

About U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB), with $371 billion in assets as of March 31, 2014, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the 5th largest commercial bank in the United States. The Company operates 3,083 banking offices in 25 states and 4,878 ATMs and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.
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