Regions Bank 2013 Annual Report Download - page 15

REGIONS 2013 YEAR IN REVIEW 13
For any bank, growth prospects are often closely tied to overall economic conditions in the markets you serve.
What’s your outlook for the markets you serve?
DAVID TURNER: Although it is difficult to predict
when we will see truly robust levels of economic
growth, Regions is well-positioned in the Southeast
where recent economic growth has been above
the national average and is likely to remain so. In
addition, we are focused on other growth markets
in the Midwest and Texas. About 90 percent of the
communities in which we operate experienced
population growth over the last few years. Overall,
we think their long-term economic prospects
are very positive. Moreover, we have a strong
market position in our core markets where we
held a 9 percent share of the weighted-average
deposits in 2013, placing us third in market share
among all banks. That means we have the critical
mass to compete and win in markets with good
growth potential.
Q:
One of your strategic priorities has been to strengthen risk management across the organization.
How would you assess your progress?
MATT LUSCO: We’ve made great strides, but
our work is far from complete. There have been
substantial investments to add compliance and
risk-management professionals, yet it doesn’t end
there. John and I are joint sponsors of an initiative
called Risk Ownership and Awareness – or Regions
ROA. It is a new way to elevate issues and com-
municate internally that risk management is not
only everyone’s responsibility, but a strategic
priority for our future. ROA will help drive cultural
change across every function and department.
Whether you are thinking about credit risk or com-
pliance risk or operational risk, all our associates
have a role to play in managing and mitigating risks.
Best-in-class risk management is an integral part
of our strategy to grow in a sustainable manner.
Q: