Wall Street to Main Street: ​Community Banks Look to Investment Banks for Key Hires

The Travillian Group’s Brian Love and co-moderator Joe Fenech, content contributor, explore the increasingly prevalent trend of prominent career Wall Streeters migrating to community and regional banks in key senior executive roles.

Our lively discussion with Jefferson Harralson (CFO, United Community Bank),  Jeff Jones (CFO, Busey), and  Collyn Gilbert (Director of Strategy Valley Bank) yields interesting commentary about their careers and how their Wall Street experience has positively impacted their current roles and banks. The panelists were very candid about their unique professional trajectories and their responses to transitional hurdles. They gave advice to up-and-comers and other professionals pondering a similar jump, and also contemplated M&A trends and highlighted companies that excite them.  It’s clear that growth-minded community banks will continue to value and recruit talent from Wall Street to enhance their strategic visions.