Jay Slaughter
Vice President
Century Bank of Georgia
Cartersville
Q: Can you share with us how you first got involved with the GBA?
I have always attended GBA training classes since my banking career began in 2006. However, after graduating from the Graduate School of Banking at LSU in 2016, I was fortunate enough to join a GBA Leadership Roundtable. Having the opportunity to learn from and share with my peers has encouraged me to get more involved in our state association.
Q: What has been the best experience you’ve had in your career so far a banker?
There isn’t one particular experience that sticks out. The most fulfilling part of being a banker is making a positive impact on my community daily. I enjoy helping an entrepreneur with an idea see his or her vision through to completion. Whether it be a restaurant, hotel, manufacturing facility, or retailer, being able to help an idea become a reality and then seeing how it benefits our community through job growth make me proud to be a banker.
Q: If you were to thank one person for helping you become the person you are today, who would it be and what did they do?
I would thank my parents for instilling in me the importance of education. They pushed me to always strive to learn new things. My parents taught me to never be afraid to ask questions, and I learned from my father’s example that the most important traits in business are honesty and integrity. I approach every day to try and learn something new and be a man of integrity. I would also thank my wife, Lesley, for encouraging me and making me want to be better every day.
Q: When you think of the future of the banking industry in Georgia, what makes you concerned and what makes you hopeful?
I think talent and technology are two areas that we must focus on. New technology is critical to community banks to stay relevant with our clients as well as yielding cost efficiencies to improve pricing. This will allow us to more effectively compete not just with larger banks, but as importantly the rapidly exploding world of Fintech competitors. However, technology alone is not the answer. We must also focus on finding, developing and retaining people who are technologically adept and help them become bankers that offer knowledge, experience and a personal touch that differentiates us from our competition.
Q: What might someone be surprised to know about you?
I love to cook and entertain friends and family. At the end of a day at the bank I use cooking as a stress reliever. I believe I inherited this from my grandfather as I remember as a young boy enjoying his cooking and watching him be happy that everyone else was enjoying themselves. I especially enjoy grilling or using the smoker on the weekends in the fall and having friends over to watch UGA football.