Shane Miller

Access to affordable housing can change a life – from stretching paychecks further to providing families a safe and secure place to grow to helping individuals build a solid financial foundation.

"Affordable housing, whether rental units or homes for purchase, is hugely positive for individuals, families, and communities -- it's so impactful," shared Shane Miller, Relationship Manager III for First Merchants Bank. "There are so many studies that show how much better kids do when raised in stable, affordable housing, and how much better off parents and individuals are when they're not rent overburdened."

Shane serves as First Merchants’ affordable housing liaison and has been instrumental in helping the bank and our real estate investment clients support affordable housing initiatives across our footprint. His work is vital to upholding our commitment and vision to enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.

According to The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2024 GAP report, there is an affordable rental shortage of more than 7.3 million affordable units nationwide and a shortage of more than 600,000 affordable units within First Merchants' footprint. And, according to that same report, more than 76 percent of renters in Indiana are rent overburdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent.

While banks are federally mandated to give back to their communities and support affordable housing initiatives by the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), First Merchants sees community investment, particularly affordable housing, as central to our “Helping You Prosper” service mindset. Which is where Shane comes in.

“Affordable housing is a huge need, and First Merchants is one of the few banks with a dedicated person who focuses on both affordable housing investment and lending opportunities. In a lot of banks, those are separate roles and departments performing each task." Shane shared while explaining his role. "Providing safe, affordable housing in our communities cannot be about checking a box or focused on meeting a specific metric. If it is, we are never going to do it well. Which is why I love First Merchants' dedication to this topic – because we understand how imperative this work is, and I think we're doing this work collaboratively and doing it for our clients, our communities, and the families whose lives this work will change."

Shane loves his work – from the collaboration across different parts of the bank to knowing he's making a difference.

"This work provides such a positive impact," he explained. "When families can get into an affordable rental situation, they're able to use that money for other things – things that improve their lives, their education, and their financial situation. That trickle-down is pretty substantial, and helping people achieve that is truly helping them prosper in a very real way. I'm very proud of my work providing affordable housing to those who need it and helping uplift our communities."

During the workday, Shane tirelessly helps create affordable housing opportunities for our communities – but in his spare time, he shared that he enjoys spending time with his family and playing soccer with his son.

First Merchants Bank’s commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility compels us to invest in our communities by finding ways to reduce inequalities, improve the quality of our neighborhoods, and promote positive economic mobility though our five community pillars: Employee Empowerment; Community Investments and Charitable Giving; Financial Wellness; Community Home Lending; and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This series features First Merchants teammates who embody the spirit and impact of the company’s Vision: “to enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.”