News Releases

BMO HARRIS BANK’S LYDIA DURON-KARI NAMED “WOMEN IN BUSINESS CHAMPION” BY THE ARIZONA SBA

PHOENIX and TUCSON (May 6, 2013) – BMO Harris Vice President and Tucson branch manager Lydia Duron-Kari has been named by the Arizona Small Business Association (SBA) as the 2013 Women in Business Champion of the Year. The award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstr ated a commitment to the advancement of women’s business ownership and helps promote increased business and financial opportunities for women.

It was her volunteer efforts with business focused organizations including the Small Business Development Center, the Minority and Small Business Alliance of Southern Arizona and the Boots to Business program for returning veterans that helped convince the SBA to recognize Duron-Kari. Most recently, she helped charter a new women’s focused group called Women Impacting New Entrepreneurs Inc. The group supports and inspires women entrepreneurs with scholarships and grants that enable them to further their education, leadership skills and opportunities to succeed.

Duron-Kari will be formally honored by the SBA for her contribution to the Arizona economy at their 20th annual Enterprise Business Awards ceremony in Scottsdale on May 16.

This is the second time that Duron-Kari has been recognized by the Arizona SBA for her efforts working with small businesses. She previously received this award in 2008.

“We applaud Lydia for her dedication to community activism and celebrate this achievement with her,” said BMO Harris Bank Arizona President Steve Johnson. “She is a wonderful example of how our bankers’ work with small businesses to help them achieve financial stability and success.”

About BMO Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.  BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S.  For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet .  Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris BankSM is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and $542 billion in assets (as of Jan. 31, 2013).