Recently, MIBA sat down with newly elected board member Casey Hopkins to gain insight into his life and work in community banking. He was also recently appointed president of the Bank of Old Monroe.
While attending college, Casey accepted an internship with Edward Jones and then took a job with them after graduation. He worked on the investment side of finance before exploring the lending side of banking. His best friend from high school told him there was an opening at Bank of Old Monroe, and after three bank leaders interviewed him and extended an offer, he became part of their team.
Casey has a B.A. with an emphasis in finance from Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri. He is also a graduate of Barret School of Banking in Memphis, Tennessee. He has 21 years of experience in finance, 16 of which have been as a banker.
Casey credits many people with having a significant impact on his career, including customers, friends, family and coworkers. Customers have given him business opportunities and taught him important business lessons.
Casey credits many people with having a significant impact on his career, including customers, friends, family and coworkers. Customers have given him business opportunities and taught him important business lessons. Through the years, they have discussed everything from their business operation to philosophies on managing people and how he can be better in his role at the bank. He also has great friends who are successful business owners, and they continue to challenge him to think differently and continue to improve each day.
Mike Miller, Bank of Old Monroe Senior Vice President, helped hire Casey and has been an outstanding mentor. He has taught Casey about lending and community banking. Dale McDonald, the CEO, also works closely with Casey and has helped grow his knowledge of the operational side of the business while teaching him how to manage at peak performance levels and provide excellent customer service to clients.
Casey’s family is his most important influence, and continues to have the largest impact on his career. His wife and three daughters give him purpose and support in whatever he’s involved with at the bank or through volunteer opportunities.
Each day, Casey has the opportunity to work with customers and coworkers. He prides himself on building strong relationships and coaching them on how to achieve their goals. The most rewarding times in his career are when customers and coworkers meet or exceed their goals.
Casey said, “MIBA allows a platform for community bankers to engage and build trusting relationships to ensure we are around to serve both now and in the future. MIBA offers many beneficial educational opportunities and has a lobbying side to keep community banks alive. In addition, MIBA provides banks affordable quality educational opportunities to help us stay current on changes in banking regulation or trends.”
Bank of Old Monroe’s former president and CEO, Darrell Harke, recently retired. Dale McDonald took on the role of CEO, and Casey was promoted to president. Dale McDonald thought it would be beneficial for Casey to join the MIBA board and get involved. Casey said, “I’ve attended MIBA functions for quite some time, but joining the board and having a seat at the table is an exciting opportunity for my career. I look forward to getting involved and working with other bankers who share my passion for community banking and serving clients.”
Casey already serves on other local boards. He is familiar with the commitment of time and talent necessary to be an asset to the board. He said, “I am eager to get involved in MIBA and help the association in any way that I can. I want to ensure that community banking will always have a place in our communities. Initially, I plan to learn more in-depth about the MIBA board and where I can support their mission best. Once I get more involved in the meetings and organization, I know I will find a space to help. I’m excited to get involved and serve.”
As Casey considered the pandemic and banking, he said, “I think the long-term impact is yet to be determined, especially from a balance sheet standpoint. The pandemic forced us to look at banking differently and work more intentionally on our web-based applications, creating the most efficient way for customers to communicate with us in whichever medium they feel most comfortable. In addition, it made us utilize staff more efficiently, which made our internal operations better. As a result of the pandemic, people value relationships and having the opportunity to speak to someone they trust more than ever. I think it allowed community banks to get in front of a new pool of customers who had never thought about switching until their bank was not accessible. Given the amount of government intervention, we are still waiting to see the financial consequences the pandemic will have on our customer base and finance in general. The one banking area that I believe was accelerated due to the pandemic was technology and our inability to be with clients in person. We were forced to find alternate ways to create a service culture and be available to our customers via technology.”
Casey has learned three valuable lessons he shares with those he mentors:
- Be kind and listen.
- Over time, hard work with a pure heart leads to great success.
- You never know your impact on people around you, but remember that everyone is always watching.
Casey and his wife, Holly, have been married 16 years and have three daughters: Landry (14), Reese (13) and Bella (10). He spends time with his family coaching sports and watching his daughters compete, and he also enjoys traveling to warm places to play golf and be with friends and family.
Casey also volunteers for the Mercy Health Foundation, Community Opportunities, and the Troy Chamber of Commerce.
Casey’s favorite quote is, “Time wasted is lost forever.” He said, “The minutes we waste today are gone for a lifetime. Make each day count and spend your time intentionally and wisely.”
As Casey reflected on his work, he said, “Being a servant leader is at the forefront of my mind whenever I enter the workplace. That, coupled with the fact that I am blessed to work for a bank whose board and leadership is rooted in integrity and humility, makes my professional experience particularly rewarding. Regardless of what happens at an organizational or structural level from a regulatory or political perspective, I will continue to provide value-added opportunities at the Bank of Old Monroe and MIBA. It excites me to work alongside professionals who truly embrace the fundamentals of community banking, and it gives me hope that we will prevail collaboratively regardless of the fiscal or political climate we may encounter.”
