Senior Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking Group, Regions Financial
Search every verified Brian Willman interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a 2013 interview, Brian Willman, then Regions Bank area president for south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle, discussed the 2008 financial crisis and the bank's role. He stated that the banking industry had engaged in "too risky" lending, making loans to borrowers with inappropriate products, and that the focus on rapid loan growth had "come back to haunt" the industry. Willman emphasized that Regions, as a southeastern regional bank, focused on loans, deposits, and wealth management, and that products offered to customers should be something they understand and need, not just beneficial for the bank. He also expressed optimism about the economic impact of Airbus assembling commercial airliners in Mobile, describing it as a "game changer" that could attract an aerospace hub. In a separate 2011 training methodology description, Willman discussed his approach to leadership development, stating that it is a "never-ending process" and that effective leaders often excel at one or two distinctive behaviors. He argued that companies do not have values, but individuals do, and that a leader's beliefs influence whether others choose to follow them. Willman also noted that executives receive more feedback as their careers progress, but that it becomes less honest, and he emphasized the importance of providing good quality feedback to help managers become better leaders.
“Lending was really, I'd say, too risky. We were making loans as an industry to borrowers that we knew probably long term it was not the appropriate product for them. We kind of lost sight of that eight, ten years ago. It was all about how fast can we, you know, grow loans and mortgages. That was something that was a re...”
“What we advise, products that we offer to our customers, that they understand it and that it's something that they need, not something that is good for just the bank. If it's not a two-way street then I think you're going down a very slippery slope and I think, you know, that's probably what got us into some of that me...”
The Interview: Regions Bank Area President Brian Willman.
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