Carl Barker ’ s journey from finance to executive leadership exemplifies a deep commitment to excellence and community . As the Regional CEO for ServisFirst Bank in Montgomery , AL , Barker has assembled a team of dedicated bankers , including veteran employees and new additions who share the bank ’ s mission of providing exceptional service . His leadership has driven growth and prosperity , including the recent expansion into the Auburn-Opelika market . Originally from Selma , Barker began his banking career in 1971 and joined ServisFirst Bank in 2007 . His distinguished career continues to inspire as he leads the bank toward sustained success and community enrichment .

How do you contribute to fulfilling that mission ? As the Regional CEO for the Montgomery Region , my main contribution and role is putting together a team of outstanding bankers who all have the desire to serve . We have a team of veteran bankers who have been with the bank for 17 years , and we were fortunate to have a group of four bankers join us last year who share our mission of providing outstanding service . One of them , Caryn Hughes is now the president of the Montgomery Bank . Also , very recently , we were fortunate to open a ServisFirst Bank in the Auburn-Opelika market . David Reaves is the President of that bank and is in the process of building an outstanding team of bankers there as well .

What is ServisFirst ’ s purpose or mission and how is it different from other banks ? Our mission statement is easy to remember , “ Our name is our mission .” We strive every day to deliver the highest level of service to our clients possible . All our team members work hard and are dedicated to helping our clients with their financial needs and making their lives easier in that regard .

What first drew you to working in banking ? I liked the fact that , as a business banker , I get to be a part of many different companies . We serve businesses of all sizes and get to see how they operate .

What changes have you experienced in banking / lending recently , and what ’ s on the horizon ? In the last several years , all banks have been made , by federal regulations , the watchdog for money transfers all over the world . That responsibility primarily came from the 9 / 11 terrorist attacks , and our role is to be sure that money flowing through our banks is not used for illegal purposes within and outside the USA . We are required to report any transactions that are unusual or suspicious . If our regulators find that we have violated one of these rules surrounding that requirement , the bank can be fined and even have its activities restricted . Those requirements have been expensive for all banks . ServisFirst has a compliance department that constantly reviews activities to ensure that we have reported or restricted any suspicious activities .

What ’ s the No . 1 challenge ServisFirst Bank faced last year , and how did you and your team manage / overcome it ? Recently , there has been a problem with fraudulent attacks on the bank accounts we protect every day . While fraud has always been a problem , it has become a much bigger issue in the last couple of years . The hacking of email accounts , checks stolen from the mail and fraudulently altered or endorsed checks have caused all banks to ramp up our defenses to protect our customers ’ accounts .

What does leadership look like to you ? To me , leadership means always looking at the big picture and being sure that we are heading in the right direction . To be certain that everyone on the team knows where we want to go , our specific goals while also assuring that we have a culture of collective purpose so that we stay on track with our core values ! Then , most importantly , helping them in any way I can to succeed .

What ’ s the most fulfilling aspect of your work / role ? The many calls and notes I receive from our customers telling me how good our bankers are and how much they have helped them ! All our bankers have a servant mentality . We work hard , and we know that as a customer , you want a banker who understands your needs and can be there quickly to assist . Servis First bankers are proud of our reputation of financial strength , soundness and safety and especially taking care of the needs of our customers .

Photography by Grace O ’ Connor

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