After a 45-year banking career, much of it focused on real estate, Brad still hopes to continue working a bit in real estate!
After graduating from the University of Toledo in 1978, I enrolled in the joint JD/MBA program there. But after a year working full time for a bank and carrying a full course load, I decided to leave school to concentrate on my banking career.
I moved to Kansas City in 1981 and met Walter Pinnell, the president of Mark Twain Bank in Kansas City. Walter hired me to be his administrative assistant. In that role, I was able to work with board members, attend loan committee meetings and get involved with many facets of growing the new bank.
Within six months, I was given my first lending position. I also enrolled in the business school at UMKC and earned my MBA by going to school at night. I developed a specialty in residential development and construction. I obtained my real estate license, grew a portfolio of home builders and immersed myself in the residential real estate market. I learned much and grew relationships with all types of small to mid-sized businesses in my 10 years with Mark Twain.
In 1994, my old friend Walter Pinnell, who had left Mark Twain by then, offered me the opportunity to expand the construction and development department at NASB, which was then a $1 billion thrift (savings and loan) in Grandview, Missouri. During my 14 years there, we grew the builder/developer portfolio from $25 million to $500 million.
But our huge concentration of residential construction and development loans proved to be too much when the market collapsed in 2008. Although NASB did survive, I was terminated. I believe NASB's survival was the result of the overall soundness of the loans we made and the great people I brought together there.
For the next three years, I tried to help rescue a small bank that was owned and managed by friends from my Mark Twain days. In the end, they were merged into Central Bank of the Midwest, which didn’t have a spot for me.
I called my old friend David Caffrey, and he introduced me to Joe Close, Dan Teahan, Craig Gaffney, and ultimately, Mike McGannon. David convinced them I could do more than residential development and construction—and CCB hired me nearly 12 years ago.
I am so grateful to have become a small part of CCB’s success. Being able to finish my career working with the cast of Hall of Fame Bankers here, I have to say that after all the ups and downs of 45 years in banking, ending up on the top is the best I could have ever hoped for. I am thankful for David and all the others I’ve worked with for helping me be a better banker. I’m also thankful for the great loan administration here, especially Christy Hinkle and Jackie Ball (who always fixed my mistakes), and my assistant, Natalie Alderman (who always made me look better than I am).
My advice to those reading this? (Thanks to all of you who got this far!!)
First, you are starting or have arrived at THE TOP. Be grateful for all the opportunities you have here—make the most of them. You couldn’t be at a better place to ply your trade.
Second, things may not always go your way. But never give up. Be resilient, work hard, learn from those around you and, in time (hopefully less than 45 years), you’ll find your place.
What’s next?
I hope to enjoy more time with my lovely wife, Karen, and my two sons, John and Evan, and their families. My plan is to stay active with golf, pickle ball, disc golf, biking and hiking, travel and continuing to work in real estate in some capacity.
My life has been full of blessings—every day has been a gift!
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