You were installed as chairman during the MBA|VBA Joint Convention in June. Tell us why the role of VBA chairman is meaningful to you.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the VBA, its outstanding professional staff, and my colleagues in Virginia’s banking industry for over twenty years, serving in a variety of roles.   Virginia is home to some of the highest quality banks and bankers in the country and I am honored to represent the VBA this year.  My goal is to continue the important work of my predecessors, help strengthen the Virginia banking system in this uncertain environment, and encourage the next generation of bankers to step up and help lead us to a promising future.

What was your path to becoming a banker, as well as your path to your current role?

I started my career at Price Waterhouse as an auditor with the financial services sector as my industry specialty.  In fact, contract work for the Resolution Trust Corporation was among my first assignments when it was shutting down troubled savings and loan institutions in Virginia.  It was a frightening and eye-opening experience to see firsthand what happens when bad decisions are made by management teams, and I carry these lessons with me to this day. 

I came to work for C&F Bank in 1996 as Chief Accounting Officer after seven years with Price Waterhouse.  I was later named Chief Financial Officer and then promoted to President in 2014 and CEO of C&F Financial Corporation in 2019.

What are some of the most important values or principles that guide you as CEO, and how do you communicate those to your teammates?

I lead with what our company stands for; our C&F tagline has been Focused on You for many years, highlighting our corporate values of friendliness, ownership, collaboration, understanding and security.  We work hard to consistently display these values in a balanced fashion to our customers, shareholders and employees. I am thankful to have a leadership team that does the same, because what you do is far more important than what you say. It’s my job to set the example at the top with each of these values and that’s the best way I can communicate their importance.

How do you define success for the bank beyond financial performance?

It’s easier to measure success by financial performance but real success goes way beyond the numbers.  Success is seeing a customer buy their first home, a business expanding with the financial help of the bank, and seeing our own employees take care of their families and realize dreams by spending their entire career here at C&F.   For example, I’ve had the privilege of attending three retirement parties over the last year for employees who were at C&F for over thirty years; knowing that our company has helped provide for thousands of families in the communities we have served over the past 98 years is both humbling and inspiring.

As the banking industry continues to evolve rapidly, what actions should leaders take to cultivate and empower the next generation of talent for long-term success?

As leaders in our respective institutions, we must give the next generation a chance to participate in the process, something we take for granted now, but just a few short years ago, our younger generation was sidelined during the pandemic, both in educational experiences as well as on-the-job training.

At C&F, we have several internal leadership training programs, along with outside classes, to help provide tools to our professionals in the earlier stages of their careers.  We also include our developing leaders in ongoing strategic projects in our organization. 

It’s important for leaders in our industry to inspire young bankers to get involved in understanding and ultimately solving industry-wide problems.  Encouraging their involvement with the VBA, local civic organizations and, yes, even politics, is important.  Politics is far from my favorite topic, but I’ve seen over the years how meeting and educating politicians who serve our Commonwealth makes a difference.  The next generation of Virginia bankers should understand how important this mission is as well.

What innovations in banking excite you the most, and how is your bank embracing these changes?

I’m not sure there is one specific innovation, but the fact that a bank the size of C&F can offer its customers the latest in innovative products and services created by the use of ever-changing technology, including AI, is exciting.  We are able to do this by strategically partnering with vendors, not just our core provider, but strategic fintechs as well. 

In your opinion, why is the VBA an essential asset to you and its other members?

The resources that the VBA provides to its member banks and their employees are substantial.  We have leveraged VBA benefits for decades, allowing us to provide competitive benefits to our employees that would be difficult to sponsor on our own.  The educational programs, political leadership, industry expertise on evolving topics, bringing together bankers across the state and the country, and the professionalism of the VBA staff are essential to all banks and bankers in Virginia.  It takes a great team to do this, and Bruce has put together an unbelievable staff that is second to none among bankers’ associations!

What is something about you that would surprise our readers?

Not surprising, but my wife of thirty years, Amy, keeps me in line and is one of the most supportive and patient spouses one could have.  I also have three wonderful children ranging in age from 24 to 40.  Being I turned 56 in February, I’ll let you do the math on how old I was when I first became a dad. Life can throw some curveballs, but the maturity I gained from that time in life helped me grow in so many ways.  It probably wasn’t the most traditional path to becoming a bank CEO or VBA chairman, but life’s challenges ultimately make us stronger people.

My favorite…:

• Music or musical artist: Country and rock music. Rolling Stones!
• TV Show/Series: The Golf Channel, Squawk Box and Blue Bloods
• Book: The Millionaire Next Door
• Work item (tool/program/news source) you cannot live without: My iPhone, the Wall Street Journal and Squawk Box.
• Place to enjoy some time away: Can’t give you just one, so the Outer Banks, Old Dominion University basketball and football, and many golf courses.
• VBA event or memory: First Convention at Kiawah.
• Part about being a Virginia banker: Helping people.