Jones Recognized as 2016 Outstanding Young Banker
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Jennifer T. Jones, executive vice president for Greer-based Citizens Building and Loan, was named the South Carolina Bankers Association’s Outstanding Young Banker for 2016 at the SCBA Annual Meeting, held June 12-15.
The Outstanding Young Banker Award is chosen by the SCBA Past Chairman’s Club and has been given to one deserving banker each year since 1970. Past recipients include many prominent South Carolina bankers.
“Jennifer’s leadership role at a small financial institution requires a thorough understanding of the broad spectrum of banking regulations,” said J. Thomas “Tommy” Johnson, chief executive officer of Citizens Building and Loan. “She is motivated in every way to improve Citizens’ service to Greer and, by extension, the well-being of our employees.”
Johnson, 38, succeeds last year’s honoree, R. Montague Laffitte III, senior vice president and central regional president for South State Bank.
“The Outstanding Young Banker award is the highest honor presented in the South Carolina banking industry, and all past recipients have continued to play important roles in their institutions, in addition to supporting their communities and the banking industry,” said Fred Green, president and CEO of the S.C. Bankers Association.
Jones is a 2000 graduate of Presbyterian College. While in college, she began her banking career as a teller and worked in operations. After graduating from Presbyterian, Jones joined Citizens and since then has worked in every area of the entity’s operation. During her time with the institution she has led the way in major software and policy changes.
Recent, Citizens modified its corporate structure to create a mutual holding company, which involved satisfying a host of regulators, including the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Federal Reserve. Jones successfully oversaw this change in corporate structure.
Jones has been active in the Young Bankers Division of the South Carolina Bankers Association. She has served on its board of directors since 2011 and is currently chairman-elect of the Young Bankers Division.
Jones is active in the Greer community. She served on the Greer Chamber of Commerce Board of Regents for four years, has been active in the Greer Station Association Committee and the Greer Partnership for Tomorrow Oversight Committee and Board of Trustees, a Means on Wheels volunteer, active in leadership roles with First Presbyterian Church in Greer, chairman of the Greer Arts Council and president of the Chandler Creek Elementary School Improvement Council.
Jones and her husband Walden have a son and daughter.
The South Carolina Bankers Association is the trade and professional association representing approximately 80 financial institutions across the state. The SCBA is organized to effectively represent the common interest and welfare of South Carolina’s banking industry and to promote the professional development of its members and individual practitioners. The SCBA’s mission is to provide legislative, regulatory, educational and product leadership on behalf of its members.
For more information about the SCBA please visit www.scbankers.org.
