Regions Bank recently launched Regions Loan Center, a comprehensive service through its Web site, www.regions.com, that lets consumers apply for a variety of personal loans online.

Through the Loan Center, both customers and non-customers can complete applications for auto loans, personal installment loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, personal lines of credit, mortgages and credit cards. They can even start the process of applying for a loan to purchase an airplane or helicopter.

"The Loan Center launched on Columbus Day, when all of our bank offices were closed. Within two hours, we had a significant number of applications," said Mike Jackson, president of e-commerce at Regions. "Today's consumers want to do business on their own time, according to their busy schedules," he added. "Through the Loan Center, we're meeting that demand."

According to Jackson, the Loan Center rounds out the services that are already offered on the bank's Web site which underwent a redesign earlier this year. "We've given regions.com a new look and feel, made it more user-friendly to accomodate those who are less familiar with the Internet, and added more functions-like the Loan Center-that save the customer a lot of time and effort."

Additional functions recently added to the Web site include the ability to open any Regions checking account, open Individual Retirement Account and Certificates of Deposit, reorder personal checks, view trust and retirement account information, and view both Regions and non-Regions online accounts using Regions e-Tracker.

Regions Financial Corporation, with $45.7 billion in assets, ranks among the 25 largest financial services companies in the nation. Serving customers throughout the South, it provides traditional commercial and retail banking services and other financial services in the fields of investment banking, asset management, trust, mutual funds, securities brokerage, insurance, leasing and mortgage banking. Its banking affiliate, Regions Bank, offers banking services online from its Web site at www.regions.com and from more than 670 banking offices in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Regions provides investment and brokerage services from more than 140 offices of Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc., one of the South's largest investment firms.