Right Place, Right Time

Regions’ franchise spans the South, Midwest and Texas, which serves as an impressive geographic platform for our growth strategies.

Among our franchise’s positive attributes: 41 percent of all new jobs created in the U.S. since 2009 were within our footprint, and the region is a strong performer in automotive and non-durable goods manufacturing and in overseas trade. Many of our metropolitan areas have population growth rates well above the national average. We are committed to providing great customer service and being a strong community partner wherever we operate. But we have also placed special emphasis on select markets with strong, attractive growth profiles, and we are devoting talent and resources to strengthen our presence there.

In Atlanta, GA, Regions executive vice president and commercial banking executive David Smith leverages more than 25 years of banking experience on behalf of middle-market clients in, and near, America’s ninth-largest metropolitan area. He sees a host of compelling qualities in Atlanta, which Regions has identified as a priority market. Economic growth is underpinned by the world’s busiest airport, the port of Savannah which is America’s second-busiest U.S. container exporter, and a diverse, entrepreneurial business culture. David sees manufacturing on the upswing, which, he notes, “is a positive for us, since manufacturing companies tend to be asset-intensive and need access to capital.”

David and the team in Atlanta meet the needs of clients across an array of sectors, from healthcare, insurance and major restaurant chains to poultry processing and recreation services. He describes the Atlanta team as “a collaborative, high-performing team that executes well year in and year out. We focus on having skilled bankers that bring added value to the table. We are fortunate to have a lot of continuity with the bankers on our team. Our approach to earning new business is it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You hardly ever win something quickly, so it takes a lot of tenacity, staying in front of prospects quarterly, bringing ideas to the table, and thinking outside the normal bounds of what a bank offers.”

David is selective when recruiting new bankers and has implemented innovative programs to develop those who join the group. Several have been selected to undergo a management consulting program designed by Vanderbilt University that teaches bankers to think like a CEO, honing skills to develop a keener understanding of the challenges these clients face running their companies.

While he expects Atlanta’s overall economic growth to be muted, David sees significant opportunity for Regions associated with Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the middle-market sector. “There is a lot of money in motion – companies buying other companies – and that is facilitating future growth. With the experienced team we have in place, and our Regions360^SM strategy to match solutions with client needs, we’re well-positioned for the future.”

Some 250 miles Northeast up I-85 in Charlotte, Regions Corporate Banker Juan Cazorla has a front-row seat to the dynamic opportunities in that city and across North Carolina. “There is a tremendous pool of human capital here, with a well-educated workforce, excellent colleges and universities, as well as a great quality of life,” notes Juan. “What we have seen post-recession is the economy is much more diverse. There have been a significant number of corporate headquarters that have relocated here from the Northeast, and that’s been exciting to witness.” The market is attracting a growing number of businesses in which intellectual capital is at a premium, including legal and consulting services, biotechnology and healthcare.

Charlotte is also the nation’s second- largest banking center outside New York, and that makes the competitive landscape fiercely competitive. For Juan, the key to Regions’ success is found in leveraging the advantages of Regions360^SM, creating a holistic solution that aligns with unique customer needs. Another differentiator: offering a level of customer responsiveness that is unmatched by competitors. “In Charlotte and the mid-Atlantic we are often not the best known bank, so it’s fun to tell the Regions story. We’re careful not to try to be all things to all people. We place a particular emphasis on companies in the 2 to 3 billion dollar (revenue) range, and our offerings go beyond traditional business lending to include capital markets and treasury services.” M&A activity in the area is increasing and Regions has strengthened its capital markets capabilities, including the 2015 acquisition of BlackArch Partners, a Charlotte-based specialty M&A advisory firm with a strong track record in the middle-market space.

Another Regions advantage is found in the Specialized Industries group, with banking experts in select industries such as technology and defense, healthcare and financial services. From Juan’s perspective, “Our associates in those industry verticals can go toe to toe with anyone. That’s a big growth engine for us. We bring the same capabilities that a lot of our larger competitors can bring, but we bring it in a manner congruent with our culture, and it’s resonating with customers. In terms of the corporate banking effort we’ve just begun to scratch the surface of our potential here.”