By: Jill Hutensky, Senior Vice President, Hartford Market Executive
Talk a little bit about your background/history and how you came to be at the Bank of America.
I joined Bank of America in 2017 to manage the bank’s philanthropy and community engagement in Greater Hartford. That role has evolved to include overseeing the market strategy to grow Bank of America’s consumer, wealth, and commercial banking businesses locally. I work with an incredible team across the enterprise to leverage national resources to benefit the clients, associates, and communities that live in this region. Previously, I spent 15 years with United Technologies Corporation in a variety of positions ranging from sales planning and procurement to communications and corporate social responsibility. It was in that role that I got to know the team at Bank of America…and here I am.
What is important to you about the Bank of America’s mission, and what are the ways that mission aligns with the Partnership’s mission?
Our mission is to make financial lives better—for our clients, employees, and the communities in which we live and work.
Local nonprofits help build stronger, more resilient communities by connecting community members to essential resources and services. Access to safe, stable housing helps strengthen communities by creating a more secure and supportive environment for residents. A home is the foundation for strong neighborhoods, economic opportunity, healthy people, and educational success.
The Partnership strives to create social progress in the Greater Hartford region and is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in Connecticut has a safe, stable, and affordable home where they can thrive in the community of their choice. The Partnership is a valued community partner whose work supports the wellbeing of individuals and families in Hartford and across the state. Partnership for Strong Communities demonstrates a deep commitment to making Connecticut a more resilient place to live.
How long have you been in partnership with the Partnership? What have you found most inspiring or noteworthy about the work that we do?
Bank of America was funding the Partnership when I joined, and I had the privilege of stewarding the relationship. I support the focus on increasing housing affordability, creation, choice, and stability. In 2021, Bank of America named Partnership for Strong Communities a Greater Hartford Neighborhood Builder, awarding $200,000 in flexible funding and comprehensive leadership training to the organization. With Neighborhood Builders funding, the Partnership bolstered staff to help deliver on their mission and provided leadership and management development support for the entire staff. The Partnership leads policy, advocacy, and original research efforts and unites the coalitions needed to drive change in local communities. The Partnership’s efforts help ensure that fewer Hartford residents experience unstable, unsafe, or unaffordable housing in addition to creating solutions that will continue to transform Connecticut’s housing landscape.
How do you measure success in the projects you support, and what outcomes have been most notable?
We support great leaders working across the spectrum of advocacy, training, and direct service with the understanding that it takes progress in all areas to impact lasting change, both short-term and long-term. These assessments typically include direct agency feedback, quantifiable data about the individuals or families that received assistance and change in legislation.