Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls Program to Support U.S. Olympic Athletes and Their Families in Italy

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing its tradition of recognizing and supporting U.S. Olympic athletes and their families, Bank of America today announced it will host the Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls(TM) program at the XX Olympic Winter Games, February 10-26 in Torino, Italy. Bank of America -- the Official Bank Sponsor of the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team -- also introduced its roster of U.S. Olympic Hopefuls who are lending their support to the program.

"We are proud to support the athletes who represent our country in Olympic competition. They are truly America's team," said Cathy Bessant, global chief marketing officer for Bank of America. "The Olympic Games have a rich and important heritage, and exemplify what it means to constantly raise the bar."

The Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls program offers the families and friends of qualified U.S. Olympic athletes with access to exclusive discounted accommodations, making their visit to Torino more affordable and, in some cases, even possible. The program also provides U.S. Olympic athletes and their family members with full use of the Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls Family Center during the 17 days of Olympic competition. Located in the heart of Torino, the Family Center offers many of the comforts of home including: complimentary lunch, dinner, snacks and other refreshments; wide-screen televisions with closed-circuit coverage of Olympic competition; information services; complimentary tickets to an Olympic event for up to four family members; and an Internet lounge for athletes, family and friends who are eager to stay connected with others back home in the United States.

Among the first U.S. Olympic athletes to register for the Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls program are: 2002 Olympic Gold medalist, snowboarder Ross Powers (South Londonderry, VT); two-time 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, speedskater Jen Rodriguez (Miami, FL); the 2006 U.S. Women's Curling Team whose members include Cassie and Jamie Johnson (Bemidji, MN), Jessica Schultz (Anchorage, AK), Maureen Brunt (Portage, WI) and Courtney George (Duluth, MN); and U.S. Olympic hopeful standouts, figure skater Kimmie Meissner (Bel Air, MD) and snowboarder Michelle Gorgone (Sudbury, MA).

"Family support is an essential contributor to my athletic performance," said Olympic gold medalist, snowboarder Ross Powers. "Knowing that I have Bank of America as a dedicated partner to provide my family with a home away from home during their stay in Italy is such a comfort to me as I prepare for the Olympic Winter Games in Torino."

The Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls program recognizes the important role that families and friends play in the life of an elite athlete. Past research conducted by the United States Olympic Committee found that U.S. Olympic athletes ranked "support of family and friends" as their number two success factor.

"We know that behind every athlete who makes the U.S. Olympic Team, there are families and friends who have made personal sacrifices to support and encourage that athlete's Olympic dream," added Bessant. "Bank of America is proud to recognize these very special people, and we hope that participation in the Hometown Hopefuls program adds to their enjoyment of watching America's Team in their quest for Gold."

"At an Olympic Games, athletes are focused on their performance. The Bank of America Hometown Hopefuls program allows them to have peace of mind with regard to their families' Olympic experience," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr. "In addition to providing a centralized location for the families of U.S. Olympians, the program affords America's Olympic athletes a place to interact and celebrate their success at the Games."

Bank of America expects to host more than 230 qualified U.S. Olympic athletes and 1,200 family members at the Hometown Hopefuls Family Center in Torino. The company first introduced the program at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, providing support to more than 550 U.S. Olympic athletes and their families and friends. Bank of America's involvement with the U.S. Olympic Team dates back to 1992, when it first signed on as an official sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team that competed in Barcelona, Spain. The company has supported every U.S. Olympic Team since, including the American athletes who will compete in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 38 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,800 retail banking offices, more than 16,700 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 14 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 150 countries and has relationships with 97 percent of the U.S. Fortune 500 companies and 79 percent of the Global Fortune 500. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

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