I Jim RYAN HOMETOWN HEART COVER STORY It’s hard to imagine James “Jim” Ryan III may have seen himself as one day becoming the chairman and CEO of a nearly $70 billion regional bank when he started his first job as a dishwasher at a 1950s and 60s-themed restaurant in Michigan, singing and performing the “Hand Jive” periodically throughout the night for customers (an experience he still remembers vividly). That job, though, reinforced what his parents had already taught him about the value of hard work: Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what your job is; if you work hard, success typically follows. After time at a mix of community, regional and national financial institutions, Ryan joined Old National Bank, Evansville, in 2000 as senior vice president, treasurer. He worked his way up through several key positions before being named CEO in 2019. Ryan has used his position to invest in his community, his employees through innovative programs like the bank’s CEO Council,1 and the next generation of bankers overall. Hoosier Banker recently asked him about his experiences, his dedication to developing the next generation of the workforce, keeping a community mindset while managing a Top 40 financial institution2 and more. 12 HOOSIERBANKER
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==