Jackie Page
SVP, Operations Director
First National Bank of Griffin, Griffin, GA
Member, 2022-2023 Women in Banking 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 Lamar State Bank (now United Bank) in 1980, where I worked for 21 years. I learned many things from this job, but one of the most useful is not to be afraid of change. Banking is an ever-changing industry, and you have to embrace the change or you will never make it.
Q: What is the most useful piece of advice you received in the early/formative years of your career?
A: This would be advice that came from my first boss, Joyce Selsor. She told me, “Never ask your employees to do something you would not do yourself. Lead by example.” This shaped the way I manage employees and has served me well in the 40 plus years I have been doing this.
Q: Tell us about one experience you’ve had that exemplifies being a banker, such as a service story that really helped a customer or a quirky story.
A: There is nothing I like better than foiling the attempts of thieves. At one of the banks where I worked, crooks got a list of our credit card numbers, but it was their bad luck that the first one they used belonged to the bank president’s son. We were alerted very quickly and were able to shut them down!
Q: First tap/click of the day?
A: After opening my email, I usually find the fed statement first to make sure there are no surprises, like large returns or cash letter adjustments that need immediate attention.
Q: What’s your most treasured possession?
A: I don’t really have a treasured possession per se, but the most treasured things in life are my children and 6 (soon to be 7) grandchildren. They are the light of my life.
Q: What’s your greatest domestic hidden talent?
A: I love to cook, specifically trying new recipes and making them my own. Luckily my husband doesn’t mind this at all, but he doesn’t mind telling me not to fix something again either.