Debbie Greenway, CRCM, CAMS
Vice President, Compliance Manager
Pinnacle Bank, Elberton
Group 10, 2021-2022 GBA Compliance Committee
Q: What was your first job, and was there a lesson you learned there that you still use today?
A: My first job was working as a teller at the age of 16. I learned many valuable lessons, but one of the biggest was to not be afraid to make mistakes. The key to making mistakes is learning from them. I still apply that lesson today and have adopted a quote from George Bernard Shaw as my motto: “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
Q: What led you to a career in banking?
A: I feel like I grew up in the bank, and during the first couple of years I worked in several different areas. I enjoyed my experiences and the opportunities I had to learn. I decided to pursue a degree in business administration and was able to continue working at the bank during the summers and holidays. Several months after I graduated, I was hired to work full-time. A career in banking was a natural progression for me.
Q: What are you most proud of accomplishing professionally?
A: I have been provided many opportunities for professional accomplishment such as attending ABA Compliance Schools, GBA Compliance Schools and GBA Compliance Conferences; serving on the GBA Compliance Committee; and becoming a Certified Regulatory Compliance Manager and a Certified Anti-money Laundering Specialist. Becoming Pinnacle Bank’s Compliance Manager is my proudest accomplishment. When I started at 16, I did not image being in this role. I am proud of the compliance team I work with and of how we work together to support the Pinnacle Bank team.
Q: If you could thank someone for becoming the professional you are today, who would it be and why?
A: There are many people that have played an important part role in helping me to become the professional I am today, and I am thankful to each one. My list of thanks would begin with the person who hired me and extend to each person who took the time to help me grow professionally. There are several people that stand out through my career, and those are the people that saw the mistakes I made but continued to support me and help me grow.
Q: What would someone be surprised to learn about you?
A: Someone might be surprised that I direct and decorate weddings. It all started a few years ago when the daughter of one of my best friends was getting married. I wanted my best friend to enjoy the wedding with no stress, and since then I have helped several couples make their day special.