p1aomupu1d1dj31eqsjpjuc4e136.jpg
In an industry of more and more specialists, the chief operating officer is a jack-of-all-trades. But the title has different meanings for different banks. Some COOs help craft strategy, others just implement strategy. Some are CEOs-in-waiting, others stay in the background. We asked COOs about their role, M&A's effects on job security, and how they interact with CEOs.
p1aomupu1d147l1tsmd5li936d7.jpg

Rajinder Singh

Chief operating officer
BankUnited, Miami Lakes, Fla.
$24.7 billion of assets)

On managing growth:
"Sitting at my vantage point, the most important decision that I make [is]: Where is it that we want to grow and where is it that we don't want to grow?"
p1aomupu1e1ek41sud122n1ndo1c648.jpg

Linda Hamilton

Executive vice president and chief operating officer
Iroquois Federal Savings and Loan, Watseka, Ill.
$584 million of assets

Being a jack-of-all-trades:
"I can't even imagine not knowing about everything I know. As a COO you have to know it all."
p1aomupu1e3841rl93u92f39v29.jpg

Edward Willingham

Chief operating officer
First Citizens Bancshares, Raleigh, N.C.
$32 billion of assets

On hiring compliance specialists:
In "the evolving regulatory environment, just having the talent and the skill sets to do the deep analytical work, the model governance capabilities, the heightened compliance reporting, there's a pretty significant war for talent in this risk management space."
p1aomupu1ek7n1i1n1q0m1jd5fmoa.jpg

H. Lynn Harton

President and chief operating officer
United Community Banks Inc., Blairsville, Ga.
$9.7 billion of assets

Working alongside the CEO:
"You've got to have extraordinary trust and communication between the CEO and the COO. Everybody wants to know that we're on the same page. It's a little bit like your parents. If they're aligned, then the kids feel confident. If you ever feel like they're going in different directions, it's not a good thing."
p1aomupu1f12jr1ehf169uo2d1isnb.jpg

Mike Comer

Executive vice president and chief operating officer
Citizens National Bank, Sevierville, Tenn.
$939 million of assets

Post-M&A job security:
[In an M&A deal,] "If that [COO] is only focused on operations of the bank, I would think that that position could be more at risk. If that position is more focused on driving revenue and growth of the bank then that position has more opportunities for longevity."
p1aomupu1f15971ijncs73vv19ctc.jpg

Shelley Seifert

Chief operating officer
First Bank, Creve Coeur, Mo.
$6.1 billion in assets

On getting things done:
"The COO, to me, sits at the center of execution strategy. … In my world, it's more about what do we need to do to be the bank that we aspire to be."
p1aomupu1f1if1ihl13viso7kdqd.jpg

David Cline

Executive vice president and chief operating officer
State Bank and Trust, Atlanta
$3.5 billion of assets

Staying in the background:
"For myself and for some others that I know that are in that role, it's a different sort of personality" than being a CEO.
p1aomupu1f6135a31n1ikjm18mte.jpg

Randall Conte

Executive vice president and chief operating officer
MB Financial Bank, Chicago
$15 billion of assets

From ops to business lines:
"How I would define the title way back when is someone who's in charge of operations and IT functions within a bank. [Now], it's possible for a COO to have a role running businesses within a bank."
MORE FROM AMERICAN BANKER