Huntington ranks high as small business lender

The U.S. Small Business Administration has recognized Huntington Bank — the region’s sixth largest bank based on deposits — for the number of loans it generates for small businesses.

Huntington, which is based in Columbus, ranked third in the nation for the number of small-business loans it has provided, according to a news release.

Last year, Huntington loaned $1.1 billion to small businesses. Executives want to make $4 billion in such loans in the Midwest in three years.

In the Dayton metro area, the bank has 12 branches and $587.9 million, about 5.7 percent of the market as of June 2010, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. The local metro area includes Greene, Miami, Montgomery and Preble counties.