Team NEO Welcomes Fifth Third Bank Leader to Its Board of Directors

Joe DiRocco is a proven champion of Northeast Ohio

CLEVELAND, Ohio – December 18, 2018 — Joe DiRocco, regional president of Fifth Third Bank, has been elected to the board of directors of Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO). He joins a group of regional business leaders dedicated to advancing Northeast Ohio’s economy.

At Fifth Third Bank, DiRocco oversees the growth and strategic alignment of the Commercial, Wealth & Asset Management, and Consumer lines of business. He brings nearly three decades of financial and business insights to his new board position.

“Joe’s financial expertise, business acumen and civic leadership will be tremendous assets to us and our mission to accelerate business and economic growth in Northeast Ohio,” said Bill Koehler, CEO of Team NEO. “He brings unique perspectives to the regional efforts already under way as well as insightful new ideas for moving forward.”

Team NEO Board Chairman Robert C. Smith added, “We are delighted to welcome Joe to our board. His collaborative spirit and depth of experience, including commendable work on a variety of community boards, will add a new dimension to our capabilities.”

About Joe DiRocco

Joe DiRocco serves as regional president of Fifth Third Bank (Northeastern Ohio), which has $3.4 billion in assets. In this role, he is responsible for the growth and strategic alignment of the bank’s Commercial, Wealth & Asset Management and Consumer businesses to deliver distinctive value to customers and community impact in the region. 

Joe joined Fifth Third from Citizens Bank, where he most recently served as president for Ohio. Prior to assuming that role in 2013, he held positions of increasing responsibility within the commercial banking sector for more than a decade. His broad experience includes middle market commercial lending as well as asset-backed lending. Earlier, from 1990 to 2001, Joe served in various positions including vice president of finance with the Hygenic Corporation.

Education

Joe holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Akron.

Professional and Civic

Joe has been active in the community and serves on a number of boards, including the Greater Cleveland Partnership, Greater Cleveland Food Bank, the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, and the University of Akron College of Business Administration Advancement Council.

About Team NEO

Team NEO is a business development organization focused on creating jobs for Northeast Ohio’s residents. In collaboration with our partners, it leads the region’s business attraction efforts, supports business retention and expansion work as Northeast Ohio’s JobsOhio affiliate, accelerates the impact of innovation in the region, and aligns strategies and resources within the economic development network to maximize its impact. In addition, Team NEO provides tools to assist employers in attracting talent to the region.

Team NEO is part of the Northeast Ohio Economic Development network, providing business decision-makers with access to customized solutions that accelerate growth, foster innovation and mitigate risk through a connected and collaborative ecosystem. For more information, visit clevelandplus.com.