JAMIE DIMON

Here you will find a lot of information on our thinking about the future of our bank and our economy. I think there are two key questions many people have these days. Can I trust this bank to remain strong? Is our economy going to recover? The answers to these questions are yes and yes. Here are a few things to keep in mind. The road ahead will not be easy. We do not know exactly what the future will bring.

Our bank is rock-solid. We are well-capitalized. And throughout this financial crisis, we have benefited from a strong balance sheet and a constant focus on risk management. This disciplined approach has served us well and is something that we're very proud of. Not just because it enables us to meaningfully grow our businesses, but also because it is key for us to keep lending to our customers. And that's exactly what we're doing. Every day, in branches and offices all across the country, JPMorgan Chase employees are working with families, business owners, government officials and non-profits — providing them with the financing they need to reach their goals. In the first quarter of 2009 — during one of the worst recessions this country has faced in half a century — we still provided $150 billion in new credit to an estimated 4.5 million customers (through credit cards, mortgages, auto and student loans), and to small and mid-sized businesses and large corporations.

To me, that represents a commitment that is a lot bigger than just dollars and cents. It's about families in better financial shape because they refinanced their homes. It's about struggling parents able to keep their homes because they modified their mortgage. It's about small businesses able to keep their doors open and avoid layoffs.

By continuing to provide responsible credit and standing by our customers, we are playing a role in the economic recovery that is starting to take hold. And while there is clearly a long road ahead, we believe that we're heading in the right direction.

Yes, these are challenging times. But we are pulling together to get through them. And that's why at JPMorgan Chase we remain steadfast in our optimism — for our bank, for our customers and for our country.