Andrea Nolan Griffin
Marketing Director
First National Bank of Griffin
Griffin, GA
Group 4 Rep., GBA Marketing 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 at a Wendy’s restaurant in Griffin. At 15 years old, I arrived for my initial interview in a business suit because my mom always advised me to dress for success. The manager told me she had never seen someone show up in a suit for a fast food restaurant job interview and told me that it really impressed her. I would say the biggest lesson I learned at Wendy’s was “Do your best work every day, and do it with a smile.” I know that seems like odd advice for a fast food restaurant, but it made a difference in the attitude of the workers, which in turn made a difference in how we treated our customers. This lesson has stuck with me until this day.
Q: Tell us about your career journey. What drew you to banking, and what has kept you there?
A: After a 15-year career with Verizon Wireless as a District Manager where I traveled throughout the state on a daily basis, I decided I needed a career that involved less travel. I was hired at First National Bank of Griffin five years ago this month. I was hired as the Sales and Marketing Manager and became the Marketing Director and Community Reinvestment Act officer three years ago. Like most marketing professionals, I manage and support all of the bank’s advertising, social media and the website. I also give back to the community by teaching financial literacy classes in our area, and I document and maintain all of the CRA requirements for the bank. I graduated from the Georgia Banking School in May 2019 and will be attending the ABA Bank Marketing School next month. I love my job and the people I work with, and I enjoy the challenge and ever-changing nature of the job.
Q: How has professional development made a difference in your career as a bank marketing pro?
A:Having no prior banking experience aside from being a bank customer, attending the Georgia Banking School really helped me understand the true inner workings of the bank. I was able to work with various bank officers on my monthly projects, which helped me understand different positions within the bank. Also being part of the GBA Marketing Peer Group has been an invaluable resource for my job. I am looking forward to the new Marketing Conference coming up in April to share and gain new ideas from my peers in marketing.
Q: If you could thank someone for becoming the banker/person you are today, who would it be and why?
A: Honestly, I would say my mother. My mom worked for First National Bank of Griffin for 40+ years. She loved her job and always shared the principles of financial literacy with me in my youth. She also taught me to have a good work ethic, to be kind to everyone, to never judge a book by its cover, and to admit when I was wrong. These principles have made me the person I am today!
Q: What would someone be surprised to learn about you?
A: I spent a year in 1989 traveling around the world singing and dancing with the international travel group called Up with People. The program empowers young adults to make a difference in the world through volunteering, leadership and performing arts. I traveled to 10 countries and 24 states during my year with them, and I learned to appreciate our multi-cultural world and help create change in the community where I live.