Gary Torgow
{{Short description|American businessman}}
File:Gary Torgow photograph.jpg
Gary Torgow is an American businessman, serving as the chairman of The Huntington National Bank, a subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares,{{cite news | url=https://michiganchronicle.com/gary-torgow-to-remain-as-chairman-of-huntington-banks-board-of-directors/ | title=Gary Torgow to Remain as Chairman of Huntington Banks’ Board of Directors |publisher=michiganchronicle.com|accessdate=2024-07-15}}{{cite news | url=https://www.ourmidland.com/business/article/TCF-Financial-Corp-introduces-board-of-directors-14303015.php | title=TCF Financial Corp. introduces board of directors |publisher=ourmidland.com|accessdate=2019-08-15}}{{cite news | url=http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/new-name-for-cobo-center-to-be-announced-today | title=TCF announces renaming of Cobo Center as TCF Center |publisher=fox2detroit.com|accessdate=2019-08-27}}
Education and personal life
Torgow has a B.A. degree from Yeshiva University and a J.D. degree from Wayne State University and is married with five children.{{cite web | url=https://www.amazon.com/Gary-Torgow/e/B00F2NN4V2 | title=Gary Torgow | publisher=Amazon}}
Career
He was appointed to the board of directors of TCF Financial Corporation upon completion of the merger between Chemical Financial Corporation and legacy TCF Financial Corporation on August 1, 2019. Torgow previously served as chairman of the board of directors of Chemical Financial Corporation from August 2016 to August 2019. He also served as chairman of the board of directors of Talmer Bancorp, Inc. from December 2009 to July 2016.
Prior to his work with Talmer Bancorp and Chemical Financial Corporation, Torgow founded and chaired Sterling Group, a real estate, development, and investment company based in Michigan.
Communal and civic activity
Torgow is on the boards of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan,{{cite web|url=http://www.bcbsm.com/index/about-us/our-company/leadership/board-of-directors.html|title=BCBSM Board of Directors|publisher=bcbsm.com|accessdate=2014-09-22}} DTE Energy,{{cite web|url=http://newsroom.dteenergy.com/2019-06-20-DTE-Energy-names-bank-chairman-Gary-Torgow-to-board-of-directors|title=DTE Energy names bank chairman Gary Torgow to board of directors|publisher=dteenergy.com|accessdate=2019-06-21}} Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan,{{cite web|url=https://cfsem.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/gary-torgow|title=Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan|publisher=cfsem.org|accessdate=2014-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140618003316/http://cfsem.org/about-us/board-of-trustees/gary-torgow|archive-date=2014-06-18|url-status=dead}} Business Leaders for Michigan,{{cite web|url=http://www.businessleadersformichigan.com/blm-members/|title=Business Leaders for Michigan members|publisher=businessleadersformichigan.com|accessdate=2014-09-22}} Pope Francis Center,{{cite web | url=https://popefranciscenter.org/new-board-members/ | title=Pope Francis Center Strengthens Board with New Members for Next Phase of Serving Homeless in Detroit| publisher=popefranciscenter.org|accessdate=2024-07-17}} and the Detroit Regional Partnership.{{cite web|url=https://www.detroitregionalpartnership.com/board/ | title=DRP Board Members drive economic development in the Detroit Region|publisher=detroitregionalpartnership.com|accessdate=2024-07-17}}
Gary serves as the President of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit{{cite web|url=https://jewishdetroit.org/about/leadership/ | title=Leadership - Jewish Federation of Detroit|publisher=jewishdetroit.org|accessdate=2024-07-17}} and of the Yeshiva Beth Yehuda.{{cite web|url=https://jewishaction.com/jewish-world/people/the-surest-path-to-eternity/ | title=The Surest Path to Eternity: Interview with Gary Torgow|publisher=jewishaction.com|accessdate=2024-07-17}}
In 2025, Torgow was named the incoming chair of the board of trustees of the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the umbrella organization representing nearly 150 Jewish federations across the United States and Canada.{{cite web |title=Michigan businessman Gary Torgow tapped to lead JFNA |url=https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/michigan-businessman-gary-torgow-tapped-to-lead-jfna/ |website=eJewish Philanthropy |date=2025-06-09 |access-date=2025-06-12}}
Torgow has served as chairman of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation,{{cite web|url=http://www.detroityeshiva.org/page.asp?id=eed3ec5cbbfac99ffbb512299e1e4188fd2e4c88a196fa199720161cb272|title=Detroit Yeshiva Bio|publisher=detroityeshiva.org|accessdate=2014-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206080221/http://www.detroityeshiva.org/page.asp?id=eed3ec5cbbfac99ffbb512299e1e4188fd2e4c88a196fa199720161cb272|archive-date=2015-02-06|url-status=dead}} the Michigan Civil Rights Commission and First Place Bank.{{cite web|url=http://www.detroityeshiva.org/page.asp?id=eed3ec5cbbfac99ffbb512299e1e4188fd2e4c88a196fa199720161cb272|title=Detroit Yeshiva|publisher=detroityeshiva.org|accessdate=2014-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150206080221/http://www.detroityeshiva.org/page.asp?id=eed3ec5cbbfac99ffbb512299e1e4188fd2e4c88a196fa199720161cb272|archive-date=2015-02-06|url-status=dead}} On Jan 25, 2019, Governor Gretchen Whitmer designated Torgow as one of her emergency interim successors.{{cite web|url=https://www.michigan.gov/som/0,4669,7-192-29701_74909_74922-488375--,00.html|title=Gov. Whitmer Designates Emergency Interim Successors|publisher=michigan.gov|accessdate=2019-04-07}}
He has received a number of honors and awards including the NAACP Fannie Lou Hamer Award,{{cite web|url=http://michronicleonline.com/2014/04/07/champion-of-civil-rights-appointed-naacp-dinner-chair/|title=Michigan Chronicle|publisher=michronicleonline.com|accessdate=2014-09-23|archive-date=2014-11-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111153506/http://michronicleonline.com/2014/04/07/champion-of-civil-rights-appointed-naacp-dinner-chair/|url-status=dead}} the Urban League of Detroit Distinguished Warrior Award,{{cite web|url=https://www.dbusiness.com/events-party-pictures/distinguished-warriors-dinner-2022/|title=Distinguished Warriors Dinner 2022|publisher=dbusiness.com|accessdate=2024-07-17}} the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Frank Wetsman Young Leadership Award,{{cite web|url=http://www.state.mi.us/migov/gov/PressReleases/199801/app1_21.html|title=State of Michigan|publisher=state.mi.us|accessdate=2014-09-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041207161941/http://www.state.mi.us/migov/gov/PressReleases/199801/app1_21.html|archive-date=2004-12-07|url-status=dead}} the NAACP James Weldon Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award,{{cite web|url=https://housedems.com/detroit-naacp-to-present-anthony-with-great-expectations-award/|title=Detroit NAACP to Present Anthony with Great Expectations Award|publisher=housedems.com|accessdate=2024-07-17}} and the Wayne State University School of Law Outstanding Alumni Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.legalnews.com/oakland/1380602|title=Legal News|publisher=legalnews.com|accessdate=2014-09-23}}
He is the author of "Raising the Bar",{{cite book|title=Raising the Bar|isbn=1578195373|last1=Manuel Merzon|first1=M.|year=2001}} and "Holy Warrior",{{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8342740.Gary_Torgow|title=Holy Warrior|publisher=goodreads.com|accessdate=2014-09-23}} and has given numerous talks{{cite web|url=http://vimeo.com/73485426|title=Gary Torgow Speech|publisher=vimeo.com|accessdate=2014-09-23}} and lectures throughout the country.{{cite web|url=http://law.wayne.edu/news.php?id=13817|title=Wayne Law panel discussion|publisher=law.wayne.edu|accessdate=2014-09-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.alma.edu/live/news/1259-visionary-for-detroit-revitalization-gives-honors|title=Gary Torgow Detroit Revitalization|publisher=alma.edu|accessdate=2017-04-28}}