John McNair lives by the motto that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. He has taken several successful steps in the banking industry throughout his career, but the most important step has been recognizing talent in his staff. “There is nothing more important for a leader than being able to recognize talent and deploy it properly, thereby achieving macro business goals and maximizing employee satisfaction,” said McNair.
This journey of deploying the best available talent has served him well while leading Community Bankers Association of Georgia as President and CEO since 2018.
Community Bankers Association of Georgia was founded in 1969 by a group of Georgia community bankers to protect the political interests of locally owned community banks. Representing approximately 140 community banks and 150 associate member companies, CBA offers services in three distinct areas: Legislative, Professional Development and Member Services.
McNair joined Community Bankers Association of Georgia after a 14-year career with the Independent Community Bankers of America and a career as a regional calling officer. His primary mission as President and CEO is to help community banks flourish by introducing business and educational services commensurate with the needs of each community bank.
He is known for working well under pressure, especially when the COVID-19 pandemic began. “Amid a pandemic and recession replete with unknowns, John worked day and night to help our member banks by providing the latest information, helping them reach contacts at the SBA and other organizations,” said his staff. “His leadership helped community banks in their efforts to have the tools to quickly process the onslaught of PPP applications they were receiving to be able to quickly process the onslaught of PPP loans.”
McNair believes in transparency, collaboration and taking things to the next level, according to his colleagues. “One of his strengths is building relationships and making connections and he is ready to help anyone at any time,” they said. “John has the ability to see the big picture, look at issues from a new perspective and identify the steps to successfully reach that goal.”
It’s his energy that makes his leadership stand out. “John is a man of high integrity; his energy is contagious, and he has a work ethic like no other,” said his staff. “He is a solutions person, a true visionary and has a gift for being able to transform a team and move an organization forward toward a common goal.”
