MIAMI, Fla. – Oct. 27, 2025 – As Miami-Dade remains one of the top counties in the nation for new-business development, Regions Bank is taking new steps to help South Florida entrepreneurs gain access to tools and information designed to help grow their companies.
And it’s all at no cost.
The most recent example: Regions continued its work with the nonprofit Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) to welcome dozens of small-business owners to Miami-Dade College’s Padrón Campus. During an intense day of workshops with experienced educators and business leaders, small-business owners learned how to harness the power of artificial intelligence, access new capital, and strengthen community ties.
It’s an extension of what ICCC calls its ‘mini-MBA’ executive education program. Informational sessions, follow-up webinars, and long-term coaching are all provided to qualified entrepreneurs who are accepted into the program. Thanks to financial support from Regions Bank, all these resources are made available to entrepreneurs at no cost.
“Small businesses create jobs and strengthen the fabric of our economy,” said Tammi Calvo-Sanchez, Miami-Dade market executive for Regions Bank. “Through our long-term work with ICCC, we’re helping business owners access the knowledge and connections they need to grow and thrive.”
ICCC is one of several programs established by the nonprofit Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC). The organization was founded by Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter as a way of expanding access to education for business owners in economically underserved areas. ICCC combines executive education, one-on-one coaching, networking, and advice on prudent ways to access capital – all in the name of helping small businesses in those under-resourced communities create and accelerate sustainable growth.
This year’s ICCC cohort — titled “Redesigned for Impact: AI, Capital & Community to Help Small Businesses Scale” — centered on how entrepreneurs can use artificial intelligence as a helpful assistant and a source of advice for improving operations, marketing, and customer service.
“We’re helping small-business owners access capital, market their companies, and apply AI in practical, accessible ways,” said ICCC Program Director Diego Portillo Mazal. “That might mean streamlining workflows, better understanding their customers, or making smarter financial decisions. With community partners like Regions Bank, we’re making those tools available to everyone.”
Since its inception in 2005, ICCC has reached more than 7,200 businesses across the U.S. Those participants have collectively raised over $2.6 billion in capital and created more than 28,000 jobs.
In Miami, this year’s full-day seminar marked the start of months of additional support, including webinars, coaching, and networking designed to turn ideas into measurable results. Regions Senior Credit Officer for Commercial Banking in South Florida Angie Llaca also shared her local expertise as part of a resource panel.
“Regions Bank has worked hand-in-hand with ICCC for over a decade for one key reason: results. We see the impact small-business owners not just through one day of coaching, but from months and even years of follow-up advice and guidance from ICCC’s programs and mentors,” said Calvo-Sanchez. “We’re seeing business owners take what they’ve learned and use it to expand services, create jobs, and build wealth in the very neighborhoods they serve. When they succeed, the entire community benefits.”
About Regions Financial Corporation
Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF), with $160 billion in assets, is a member of the S&P 500 Index and is one of the nation’s largest full-service providers of consumer and commercial banking, wealth management, and mortgage products and services. Regions serves customers across the South, Midwest and Texas, and through its subsidiary, Regions Bank, operates approximately 1,250 banking offices and more than 1,850 ATMs. Regions Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. Additional information about Regions and its full line of products and services can be found at www.regions.com.
About ICIC
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping under-resourced communities and small businesses thrive through programming and research. Founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, ICIC provides executive education, coaching, technical assistance, and access to capital to more than 3,000 businesses across the U.S. and Canada each year. Through its research and partnerships, ICIC facilitates private-sector investment and economic development, creating opportunities for small businesses and local economies.