DBJ:
What are the greatest strengths of BancorpSouth? What
qualities differentiate you all from other financial institutions?
Patterson: I view BancorpSouth as a team of approximately
3,700 players. The willingness of the team leaders to
take personal responsibility for accomplishing the goals
of the company may be the single greatest asset of BancorpSouth.
Our team leaders are willing to take risks and try new
approaches to getting the job done. We have a lot of very
long term employees who feel a tremendous ownership in
the company and it is hard for other companies to match
that. The bottom line is that it is always about people
and the personal pride they take in what they are doing.
We combine quality people with a philosophy of heaping
responsibility on them and the result has been gratifying.
People generally perform up or down to expectations and
we think it is management’s responsibility to create
high expectations for all the people in the company. We
try to create an environment where everyone can win.
DBJ:
What has Tupelo’s phenomenal economic growth meant
to the bank? Objectively, how much of a role do you think
you all played in that growth?
Patterson: “A rising tide lifts all ships”,
but some are lifted more than others and that is because
of the people involved. The people at BancorpSouth have
been instrumental in this company taking advantage of
the environment in which we find ourselves. Over the past
thirty years we have been a growth company right along
with Northeast Mississippi. We feel like BancorpSouth
has played a major role in every aspect of the growth
of Tupelo and Northeast Mississippi. Over the past thirty
years our employment in Tupelo alone has grown from less
than one hundred employees to almost a thousand. Our Jackson
Street Campus, which includes our data center, our call
center, central loan filing, and some other departments
with lesser numbers of employees has close to 600 people.
Keep in mind that we are doing all the backroom operations
for 250 branches located in six states.
DBJ:
Can you name the one quality or asset that sets Tupelo
apart? Or are there several?
Patterson: I think the thing that sets this region apart
from others in Mississippi is a “can do” attitude.
The prevailing attitude is one of feeling that succeeding
is the natural order of things and it really doesn’t
take that much more effort to win than it does to fail.
But, when it does take significantly more effort to win
the leadership and the people of the region are willing
to put forth whatever effort it takes.
DBJ:
Where do you see the Tupelo community in five years? Where
do you see the bank in that same time?
Patterson: I really think you need to talk to David Rumbarger
at the Community Development Foundation to get a good
feel for where Tupelo will be in five years. As for BancorpSouth,
we intend to continue to grow both geographically and
in the depth and breath of the services we offer. As I
said, we have always believed it is important to grow.
If you are not growing, you are most likely shrinking.
But, we do not believe in growth for growth’s sake.
Our goal is to enhance shareholder value through profitable
growth strategies. And, up to this point I think we have
been pretty successful with that approach. In addition
to expanding geographically across six states we now operate
one of the twenty-five largest bank owned insurance operations
in the country, and we are also actively involved in the
full service brokerage business.
DBJ:
What has been your proudest moment(s) with Bancorp South?
Patterson: Everyone in the company should be proud of
what BancorpSouth has become and the success it has achieved.
Personally, I am most proud when I seen people in the
company growing as individuals. If I have any right to
have any personal pride it is in being the leader of a
company that fosters an environment where anyone can grow
and succeed. DBJ
