Choosing your Replacement
I reached out to Ken Trautman, Co-Founder, CEO and Original President to ask him a couple of questions about the process, what challenges he thinks she will face and what he will be able to focus on now. JET
What brought you to this decision?
It was important to me that we selected an individual for my future replacement who had the ability to make tough decisions when needed but has an equal amount of compassion to first consider the effect of those decisions on our employees, our community and our shareholders.
Julia has proven to me that she meets these qualifications completely.
She not only is a good banker with a strong credit background, she has shown she is willing to make the tough decisions that are sometimes required. She has a great ability to generate, verbalize and then get support of her vision of what needs done to achieve that vision.
She is hard working, considerate and focused, but still able to change direction if the situation calls for it.
What challenges do you think she will face in the near future?
She will be taking over from one of the original founders of the bank, who has had over 22 years to select the people, systems and style that seemed appropriate for that specific time in the banks history. Julia will need to make changes, and sometimes change can be hard on those who must adhere to it.
She will be leading the bank in a very uncertain time emotionally and economically.
The bank is no longer a little bank, but is growing and changing. Developing her leadership team, as new positions become available, due to retirements, will be fun but challenging.
What is your vision for the bank in the next 5 years now that you can focus 100% on strategy?
The banks strategic plan laid out two primary scenarios over the next 3 to 5 years, continued growth in non-interest income and organic and/or merger growth primarily centered around geographic diversity.
My new position will allow me more time to focus on those opportunities.
Disclosure – Southern Oregon Business Journal Publisher Jim Teece Proudly Serves on the People’s Bank Board
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