Running a family business comes with many challenges . For some it flows naturally and they can build for future generations .
Jonathan Pope works in the family business and continues building and making it stronger .
Pope is vice president of Exchange Bank . He ’ s worked there for 21 years .
Pope grew up in Milledgeville and at a tender age he showed keen interest in banking and finance . That ’ s not surprising since his grandparents , whom he draws inspiration , started Exchange Bank in 1903 with the sole aim to reach out and give back to the community .
These days , the bank has five branches in Georgia serving the broader community .
He describes the banking business as a legacy that he needs to build and take care for future generations .
“ At a tender age I fell in love with accounting , finance and banking . My great grandfather built this bank and passed it to my grandfather , then to my father . Now it is my generation that is running the bank . This is a family legacy established to help the communities and to bring about community solutions ,” he says .
Exchange Bank was established in May 1903 , and its doors were opened for business on the 3rd of June in a building located at 120 W . Hancock St . The bank has grown and adopted to modern day technology , making banking
be like ‘ don ’ t you mean funnel ?’ and I would be like , ‘ yeah that !’ they essentially mean the same thing , but they are different .”
Her typical day at work is ever-changing and each day has new challenges .
“ First thing first , I touch base with my team . When you ’ re working with someone day in and day out , they are your family . Family isn ’ t perfect , but you need to be there for each other . So we touch base and catch up with each other personally . I try to see if there are any fires I didn ’ t catch over the night , and then we set our priorities for the day and go from there .”
Pope is always looking for opportunities to
services easier and convenient for its customers .
Pope describes the move into adopting the new media technologies as the right step into fully embracing the approach that the customer is the center of it all .
“ We have introduced new advanced technologies to the bank as a way to ease the way of doing business and to make our bank deliver better services to our customers . We have new automated machines that have made work easier and during Covid-19 times . Our customers can do self-service without needing a teller ,” Pope says .
He vividly recalls the days he studied at Georgia College and fell in love with math and serving his community .
One of the biggest takeaways that he often shares with young people is the value of accounting , stressing to them often how the skill is used throughout everyday life . Outside intense work at the bank , Pope is a family man with two children .
He enjoys spending time with family and encourages his children to give back to the community as a way of helping others .
“ Giving back to the community is close to my heart . I always encourage my children to give or do something for someone without expecting anything in return .”
open doors- whether that be for students , staff , or the college itself . She has been working on building connections for the college .
“ I ’ ve been able to reach out and start new relationships for the college , so that ’ s like today I had a team mate from a different campus reach out and say ‘ hey , could you hop on zoom and talk to this student ?’ so I did that and then 30 minutes later I was on a call with the superintendent from Hancock County Schools . That ’ s what I love doing , opening doors , and that is what GMC has allowed me to do . Everyday I ’ m meeting someone new and I ’ m establishing a new path for the school and that excites me .”
jonathan pope
BY BRIGHTON NCUBE
20 Under 40 2022 | Milledgeville Scene 25