CommonBond Partners with Largest General Veterinary Practice in the U.S. to Help Relieve Its Veterinarians’ Student Debt Burden
Banfield Pet Hospital®, Part of Mars, Inc., Joins Over 200 CommonBond for Business™ Partners That Offer Student Loan Employee Benefits
NEW YORK and VANCOUVER, Wash. (December 19, 2017) – Thousands of veterinarians at the country’s largest general veterinary practice have new student debt relief options. CommonBond, an industry leader in student loan employee benefits, has launched a student loan relief program in partnership with Banfield Pet Hospital, part of the Mars, Inc. family of businesses. Banfield has adopted CommonBond for Business™, which provides a suite of options to help alleviate the burden of student debt.
Veterinarians face some of the highest student loan debt of any profession, with the American Veterinary Medical Association estimating the average veterinarian carries more than $143,000 in educational debt. In an effort to support the financial well-being of its doctors, Banfield introduced a new Veterinary Student Debt Relief Pilot Program through CommonBond for Business™.
“At Banfield Pet Hospital, our top priority is supporting the holistic health and well-being of our associates, and that includes financial benefits and offerings that help alleviate student debt,” said Stephanie Neuvirth, Senior Vice President, People & Organization, Banfield Pet Hospital. “We’re thrilled to partner with CommonBond in creating options for our doctors – and look forward to continued feedback from our associates to ensure we’re meeting their long-term needs.”
“Student debt is the largest hurdle in an employee’s path to financial wellness, and our mission is to make managing that debt as easy, transparent, and affordable as possible,” said Leigh Gross, Vice President, Business Development at CommonBond. “We’re proud to help Banfield provide debt relief to their doctors, so that they have the freedom to focus on what matters most – providing the best health care to pets.”
Banfield joins more than 200 partners that use CommonBond for Business™ to support their employees’ financial wellness. As part of CommonBond for Business™, CommonBond also offers a student loan evaluation tool that provides personalized options and recommendations on how employees can best manage their debt.
About CommonBond
CommonBond is a financial technology company on a mission to give students and graduates more transparent, simple, and affordable ways to pay for higher education. The company offers refinance loans to college graduates, new loans to current students, and a suite of student loan repayment benefits to employees through its CommonBond for Business™ program. By designing a better student loan experience that combines advanced technology with competitive rates and award-winning customer service, CommonBond has funded over $1 billion in loans for its tens of thousands of members. CommonBond is also the first and only finance company with a "one-for-one" social mission: for every loan it funds, CommonBond also funds the education of a child in need, through its partnership with Pencils of Promise. For more information, visit www.commonbond.co.
About Banfield Pet Hospital®
Founded in Portland, Ore., in 1955, Banfield is the largest general-veterinary practice in the world. In 2007, Banfield joined the Mars, Inc. family of businesses, and today has more than 1,000 hospitals across the United States. More than 3,500 Banfield veterinarians are committed to providing high-quality veterinary care for three million pets annually. Banfield's charitable arm, the Banfield Foundation, was established in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the well-being of pets and communities. In 2017, Banfield Pet Hospital – including the work of the Banfield Foundation – was named among Points of Light's Civic 50 as one of the most community-minded companies in the U.S.