Over a century ago, our founders cultivated a culture rooted in uncompromising values – to help people succeed in the places we serve. Common experience and ideals connect us to local people and communities. We want to help individuals, families and businesses protect and grow the financial future they deserve and the quality of life we all cherish.
These values continue today with the establishment of the Hancock Whitney Community Development Advisory Council. To make a more significant impact in our communities across our six state footprint, it was important to hear from the leaders in those communities how we could serve them better. We assembled an impressive group of individuals that make a difference on a daily basis from housing and economic development to small business development. Recently we met with this remarkable team and discussed how we could continue to make a difference together:
- Damon Burns, Executive Director, Finance Authority of New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
- Ernest Coney Jr. , President and CEO, CDC of Tampa (Tampa, FL)
- Julie Egressy, Executive Director, Mercy Housing and Human Development (Gulfport, MS)
- Paula Pete, Director, Housing Family Resources of New Orleans (New Orleans, LA)
- Rhonda Rhodes, President, Hancock Resource Center (Hancock County, MS)
- Samuel Sanders, Executive Director, Mid City Redevelopment Alliance (Baton Rouge, LA)
- Carmen Sunda, Director, Louisiana Small Business Development Center (New Orleans, LA)
- Michael Pierce, Executive Director, MLK Avenue Redevelopment Corp (Mobile, AL)
- Charles Teamer, Sr., Civic Leader, Consultant for Hancock Whitney (New Orleans, LA)
The Hancock Whitney Community Development Advisory Council recently met in New Orleans with President/CEO John Hairston. Not pictured was Michael Pierce.
Over the course of the day-long workshop, our team at Hancock Whitney - comprised of leaders from Mortgage Lending, Community Affairs, Marketing, and Compliance - opened our ears and our hearts. We wanted to listen to the needs. We wanted to know how others were serving better. But most of all, we wanted to know how we could partner to help. In listening to the stories told by these community leaders, the needs far exceeded our anticipation. And though the challenges are great, we learned that they are not insurmountable if we work together. There were so many ideas, solutions and collaborative conversations that came from that workshop. And one of our proudest takeaways came from one of the community leaders: “Thank you for making this a priority.”
We are so excited to share over the next few months the many ways that we will impact these communities in a positive way – furthering our mission to help people achieve their financial goals and dreams.
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