Contact: Sameera Jordan
Media Relations Manager
Sameera.Jordan@BankWithUnited.com

As we wrap up National Volunteer Month, get to know the woman who is part of the team behind United Bank’s volunteer programs

At United, our commitment to providing excellence in service extends beyond banking – it includes giving back to the communities we serve. At the Bank, a key player working to ensure we are moving the needle on pressing challenges faced by our communities is Community Development Officer Ginny Stroud.

Can you tell me about your role at United?

I am the community development officer based in Greenville, SC. My work revolves around supporting the Bank with Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) initiatives.

What does that entail?

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) was enacted in 1977 to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. I work closely with market presidents, loan officers, commercial lenders, and other folks at the Bank to identify community development loans that meet the definition of CRA. These are loans that might support affordable housing development, may aid in the development of a homeless shelter or a shelter for victims of domestic violence, or a loan that provides a line of credit for a nonprofit organization. I also manage United’s CRA investments.

Activities that support community development also qualify as CRA activities. This is where volunteering comes into play. I help teams in the Carolinas, and now Georgia, identify opportunities for volunteer work.

Have you always wanted to work in community development?

Community development? Yes. Banking? Absolutely not. Funny enough, my father recommended a career in banking after I graduated with a degree in business. I didn’t have a clear path for my next steps, but I didn’t believe that a career in banking would help me accomplish my goals. I said, “I want to make a difference. I want to change lives and improve my community.” So, I returned to my alma mater, the University of South Carolina, to get a master’s degree in social work and went on to spend the next 30 years working with nonprofits and local government.

And here I am now, exactly where my father said I’d be all those years ago. I’m working at a bank while at the same time I am making an impact and helping to improve the lives of those around me. I’m very happy with where I ended up and feel so fortunate to be a part of this wonderful company that cares so much about the communities in our footprint.

So, if you originally had no interest in working in banking, how’d you wind up at United Bank?

I had a very fulfilling and successful career as a community development administrator for the City of Greenville, SC from 2001 to 2020 and prior to that with the City of Charleston, SC. I was involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts, specifically helping to improve neighborhoods by developing affordable housing units across Greenville. Then, after 30 years of service, I was able to retire and was even celebrated with a home built in my honor – “Ginny’s House.”

However, not long after I retired, a friend from United Bank reached out with a job opportunity that they wanted me to share with my network. I looked at the job description, saw that they were looking for an additional member of the CRA team to serve in North and South Carolina, and thought it was an interesting opportunity. I asked if they thought I’d be a good fit for the role and they said, “you’d be great.” And the rest is history. That was back in September 2020, and I was thrilled to join the CRA Team. I’ve been with the Bank ever since.

It’s been a really great opportunity. I found that United’s values really align well with my own, which is so important when taking on work that you have a genuine passion for. The other great thing about working at an organization that spans so many regions is that we are able to impact so many more communities than I could in my previous roles. We’ve been able to do a lot of great work at the Bank, and I feel like I can look back on the past five years and say that the CRA team has really made a difference.

Can you tell us more about “Ginny’s House?”

I retired from the City of Greenville right in the heart of the pandemic, meaning I understandably didn’t get to have a retirement party as I would’ve liked to have. So, I left local government without much fanfare, just hoping that the work that I’d done over the past few decades was enough. However, three years later in 2023, Genesis Homes, a local affordable housing nonprofit in Greenville unveiled “Ginny’s House,” a two-bedroom, affordable rental cottage that was named after me! It was funded by a Community Development grant and individual contributions given in my honor.

You know, I’m known to be humble, sometimes to a fault, so I’ve never been great at accepting praise. Isn’t that the point of volunteering? You do the work because you believe in it, and you want to help others – it’s not for the praise or credit. But to be recognized like this was such an immense honor. It felt good to know that I had impacted others and made a difference in my community, and it’s such an amazing gift to have my legacy carry on as a roof over the heads of families in need. It’s beautiful to see your life’s work represented in such a way.

Where does your passion for giving back come from?

I come from a family of givers. My mom worked as an elementary school librarian and my grandparents and great aunts were educators as well. So, I was brought up being taught the importance of caring for others and giving back. My grandfather was a big fan of Winston Churchill and would quote him often when I was younger. My favorite was, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose. It can help you ignite a passion, and it just feels good when you’re helping other people. These wise words always stuck with me throughout my life, and I made sure to pass this lesson down to my son as well.

You work with a lot of employees here at the Bank who share your love for giving back and who take an active role in volunteering efforts. What have you learned from them?

United Bank’s CRA Action Committee is made up of employees who go above and beyond their job duties to help connect employees in their markets with volunteer opportunities. This isn’t a requirement for them, this is something our people are just passionate about – you can tell by how their faces light up when they talk about the organizations they support. Their commitment to the communities where they live and work inspires me every day!

But this culture of community involvement and giving back really comes from the top down, starting with our CEO and president, which is very important. It’s not just that employees want to give back, they are empowered to do so.

As you’ve mentioned, you’ve had a long and successful career in community development. What do you hope to be your legacy?

I have been truly fortunate – both in my personal and professional life – to have had so many great opportunities and such an amazing support system. But I am aware that not everyone is as fortunate. When I leave the Bank one day, I hope to be able to say that I set a good example for the other employees around me. A desire to give back has always been ingrained in who I am, and I hope to instill a similar philanthropic commitment with my colleagues. So, if the work that I do in the community today helps motivate others to do the same, then I will know that I have done my job.

This National Volunteer Month, we recognize Ginny Stroud and her work to make volunteerism more than a commitment, but a passion, in her community and here at United Bank.