Calling all Kurt Browning fans: HomeEquity Bank’s world champion spokesperson is dialled in and ready to connect!

• New ad campaign brings figure skating legend Kurt Browning back to television screens across Canada
• Four-time men’s World Champion will be making personal phone calls to HomeEquity Bank customers
• Browning to champion the many HomeEquity Bank initiatives that support the physical, mental, emotional and financial health of older Canadians

TORONTO, September 14, 2020 — Canadian figure skating icon Kurt Browning is a bigger believer in HomeEquity Bank, provider of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, than ever before — and he’s back as brand ambassador in a new nationwide commercial campaign aimed at Canadian homeowners 55 and up.

“The recent work HomeEquity Bank has done to support older Canadians during this pandemic has inspired me anew to continue to champion their hard work,” Browning says.

The cornerstone of Browning’s re-engagement is a new initiative that will involve the four-time men’s figure skating World Champion reaching out to customers one-on-one over the phone, something he says is a first for him. “I imagine I’ll have some great chats — just the thought of that gets me excited. Being able to play a role in the great work the bank has done with Operation Warm Hug is a prime example of just how much our values are aligned.”

Operation Warm Hug, launched at the onset of the pandemic and spearheaded by HomeEquity Bank President and CEO Steven Ranson, saw the organization call more than 1,700 customers to proactively check in on them and let them know they were not alone as many were forced to isolate by themselves.

“I’m thrilled to be working with an organization that prioritizes the physical health and financial wellbeing of its customers,” Browning says. He adds: “It’s not just Operation Warm Hug that motivated me. Their recent Catch the Scam online video series, featuring world-famous con man-turned-FBI adviser Frank W. Abagnale teaching Canadians how to spot scams before it’s too late, really proves this organization cares. That matters a great deal to me.”

Beyond HomeEquity Bank’s outreach and support efforts to its customers, Browning is also a big believer in the company’s products providing Canadians 55 and up with the financial solutions to live out retirement on their terms and in the homes they love.

“Many Canadians in this demographic have limited financial options to enjoy their retirements in the way they’ve worked their entire lives to achieve — but with HEB’s reverse mortgage offerings, that can become a reality,” he says.

The pandemic has been particularly difficult for Canadians aged 55 and older, some of whom are living on fixed incomes or have watched their retirement savings decline due to market volatility, distressed pension plans, the pressing health needs of loved ones or the financial difficulties faced by their children or grandchildren. Their homes are often the largest investment Canadians will make in their lifetimes, and they should be able to access that equity without selling or moving if they want to.

“It has the potential to change their lives for the better,” Browning says. “Accessing up to 55 per cent of your home’s equity in tax-free cash provides safety, security, control and freedom to do whatever you want — whether it’s renovations, increasing cash flow, covering health-care costs and everything in between. With no monthly payments, there’s really nothing else out there like the CHIP Reverse Mortgage for those looking for financial flexibility.”

In addition to the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, the bank’s new CHIP Health program gives older Canadians the tools and resources to make their homes more accessible, empowering them to age in place.

Canadians can expect to see a lot more of Kurt Browning and HomeEquity Bank, with a number of exciting initiatives planned for the months to come. This includes the new television commercials, engaging digital media and an opportunity for a handful of bank customers to receive a personalized Cameo video from Browning himself.

“While I can’t give away all the details just yet, let me just say I’m really looking forward to talking to and getting to know many of HomeEquity Bank’s customers. I’m sure they have some fascinating life stories to tell that will give my quadruple toe loops a run for their money!”

About HomeEquity Bank

HomeEquity Bank is a Schedule 1 Canadian Bank offering the CHIP Reverse Mortgage and CHIP Open solutions. The company was founded more than 30 years ago as an annuity-based solution addressing the financial needs of Canadians who wanted to access the equity of their top asset – their home. The Bank is committed to empowering Canadians age 55 plus to live the retirement they deserve, in the home they love. HomeEquity Bank is a portfolio company of Birch Hill Equity Partners Management Inc., a mid-market private equity firm based in Toronto with more than $3 billion in capital under management. For more information, visit www.chip.ca.

For more information:

Morgan McLellan, E: morgan@providentcomms.com, C: 647-802-4825

Yvonne Ziomecki, E: yziomecki@heb.ca, C: 416-544-1669