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12
ServisFirst’s
“Humble and
Hungry” Approach
to Success
By Naomi Snyder
A
young man in Birmingham, Al-
bank is headquartered — have steadfastly worn
abama, went to a restaurant re-
them five days per week. Although regional CEOs
cently and struck up a conversa-
in markets outside Birmingham have autonomy
tion with another customer. The
to decide what to wear, the 68-year-old founder,
customer wanted to know what
chairman and CEO, Thomas Broughton III, is the
he did for a living. “I’m a bank-
standard bearer for all things ServisFirst. He isn’t
er,” the man said. The response:
one to chase fads, whether in outfits or operations.
“Well, you must work for Servis-
He and Rodney Rushing, the executive vice presi-
First, because you have on a tie.”
dent and chief operating officer, made that clear in
While the rest of the world has moved on
a recent video interview, sitting around a polished
from white shirts and ties, ServisFirst’s Birming-
wood boardroom table, with Tom in a red tie and
ham-based commercial bankers — where the
Rodney in a yellow one. (Broughton once offered