ARCHIE MCDONNELL JR .
68 , Meridian Chief Executive Officer , Citizens National Bank ; President , Citizens National Banc Corp . ( Parent Company of CNB ), Member of the Board of Directors of both the Bank and Parent Company
McDonnell ’ s nominator :
“ Archie is always forward thinking to hep anyone in Meridian who has a vision for making a difference . He also has a genuine desire to see community leaders work together to create a better place that all of us can take great pride in calling home … When Archie ’ s in the room , everyone seems to be nicer .”
Professional affiliations and offices held : Chairman , East Mississippi Business Development Corporation ; Vice Chairman , Alliance for Growth ; Bank CEO Network member ( a nationwide community bank CEO network ); Bank President ’ s Advisory Council member ( a council of local Bank Presidents ); East Mississippi Community Development Corporation board member
Civic , social and / or church affiliations and offices held : Central United Methodist Church member holding various positions in leadership ; William Robert Baird Charitable Trust Distribution Committee member ; Chairman , Community Health Improvement Network .
Spirit of altruism : I was fortunate to be raised in the church . I decided to commit my life to Jesus Christ early in life and had some exceptional role models at Central United Methodist Church in Meridian who taught me what the responsibilities of being Christian meant and how to act on those in my own life .
Importance of giving back to the community : The culture of a community has a significant impact on how successful it is in today ’ s economy . Communities that have strong community cultures also have nonprofit organizations that meet many of the needs of our underserved population .
An aspect of a volunteer experience really enjoyed . I have been blessed to participate in many volunteer roles . The one I ’ m most invested in at this time is serving in my third year as the Chairman of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation ( EMBDC ). It is providing me the opportunity to lay the ground work for our region to land significant projects that will enrich the lives of many of our citizens .
Our community ’ s greatest asset : The greatest assets of Meridian and Lauderdale County are its logistical advantages , small town quality of life , and business friendly environment that make it a well-kept secret . I love our people and their desire to become so much more than what we are today . East Mississippi is poised to achieve some significant economic success is the future that will improve life for many and increase the economic capacity of our region to meet more of our people ’ s needs .
Motto or favorite quote ? “ The best way to predict your future is to create it .” – Abraham Lincoln
“ The secret to success is good leadership , and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members and workers better .” — Tony Dungy
The why is all about creating success for others that has always led me to happier and more satisfying places in life .
22 • TIMELESS MERIDIAN