Gary Torgow
Gary Torgow | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, banking executive |
| Known for | Chairman of The Huntington National Bank |
| Notable work | Raising the Bar, Holy Warrior |
Gary Torgow is a prominent American entrepreneur who holds the position of chairman at The Huntington National Bank, a division of Huntington Bancshares.
Education and personal life
Torgow earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Yeshiva University and obtained his J.D. from Wayne State University. He is married and has five children.
Career
Following the merger between Chemical Financial Corporation and the original TCF on August 1, 2019, Torgow became a member of the board at TCF Financial Corporation. Prior to this, he served as chairman of Chemical Financial’s board from August 2016 until August 2019. Additionally, he led Talmer Bancorp, Inc. as chairman from December 2009 through July 2016.
Earlier in his career, Torgow established and managed Sterling Group, a real estate development and investment company based in Michigan.
Communal and civic activity
Torgow contributes to several boards, including those of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, DTE Energy, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan, Business Leaders for Michigan, Pope Francis Center, and the Detroit Regional Partnership.
He holds the presidency of both the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Yeshiva Beth Yehuda. In 2025, he was appointed as the incoming chair for the board of trustees at the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), which encompasses close to 150 Jewish federations throughout the United States and Canada.
His leadership roles have also included chairmanships at the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, and First Place Bank. In 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer named him an emergency interim successor.
Among his recognitions are the NAACP Fannie Lou Hamer Award, the Urban League of Detroit Distinguished Warrior Award, the Frank Wetsman Young Leadership Award from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, the NAACP James Weldon Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award, and Wayne State University School of Law’s Outstanding Alumni Award.
Torgow is the author of "Raising the Bar" and "Holy Warrior," and has presented numerous speeches and lectures across the country.