Spence Mullis
President and CEO
Morris Bank
Dublin, GA
GBA Chairman-Elect
Chair of GBA Public Affairs Committee
Q: What was your first job, and was there a lesson you learned there that you still use today?
A: I worked at Kentucky Fried Chicken when I was 14 and 15 years old. I learned the value of hard work and treating all folks you come in contact with every day with respect.
Q: What drew you to banking, and what has kept you there?
A: As a former auditor and examiner, I was in banks throughout the state of Georgia often. Witnessing bankers all over being able to make a real difference in the lives of their customers and communities was very appealing, and still is to this day.
Q: How has involvement with GBA affected your career?
A: GBA has been instrumental in helping me grow in my career. From the moment I first joined Morris Bank, I joined GBA and got involved with Leadership GBA immediately. I’ve met so many great folks throughout all of GBA that I can now call friends and rely on for advice and guidance.
Q: When you think about the future of the banking industry in Georgia, what makes you fearful and what makes you hopeful?
A: I’ve been concerned about rural Georgia for many years. Georgia as a whole will continue to thrive, but our more rural areas are going to have a hard go of it. I’m hopeful that as technology like high speed broadband becomes more affordable to deploy in rural areas, the gap may close somewhat and allow rural communities to compete for jobs better.
Q: What would someone be surprised to know about you?
A: I used to surf halfway decent. However, as my physique changed and I became top heavy, I almost broke my neck one morning in the water at a Leadership GBA conference in Ponte Vedra. That wrapped up my surfing days!