Beth James, MBA
VP, Marketing Director
Queensborough National Bank & Trust Co., Augusta, GA
Member, GBA Marketing Committee
Published March 20, 2025
Q: What led you to a career in banking?
A: For me, it was more destiny than intent. I started at Queensborough as a high school intern and later worked as a part-time teller while attending Georgia Southern University. After graduation, I spent ten years in marketing. When Queensborough was looking for a new Marketing Director in 2020, it felt like everything had come full circle—it was almost kismet!
Q: What was the most useful piece of advice you received in your career?
A: "Don’t take criticism from someone you wouldn’t take advice from."
Q: Tell us about one experience you’ve had that exemplifies being a banker or your role at the bank.
A: One of the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on is our IQU (IQ University) financial literacy initiative for employees. It started as a simple idea from a conversation—how do we encourage employees to strengthen their financial knowledge? The result was a structured program where employees who completed 78 hours of coursework and a final exam earned an official certification and a $1,000 salary increase.
To make it engaging, we branded the program, calling it a chance to get “IQU Certified,” and even designed custom die-cut pins for employees who completed it. Seeing 96 employees complete over 100 courses was incredibly rewarding. It was proof of how a single idea could turn into something meaningful—not just for our employees, but for the communities they serve.
Q: If you weren’t working in banking, what would you be doing?
A: My husband and I renovate and rent houses on the side, so I’d likely be in real estate investment, flipping houses full-time.
Q: First tap/click of the day?
A: Outlook. I wish I could say it was something more exciting than email and my calendar, but I’ll be honest!
Q: Book that you love/has made an impact?
A: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. It was eye-opening to see how success isn’t just about talent and intelligence, but also about factors like upbringing, early opportunities, and practice.
Q: Pet peeve?
A: Negativity—especially when people focus on problems without looking for solutions. I believe every challenge should be met with the intent to resolve it, rather than just dwelling on the issue.