After 20 years and various leadership roles at CB&T, Eric Ellingsen , a banking industry leader and company veteran, has been promoted to CEO. He’ll continue as president, but with new leadership responsibilities overseeing the growth of the bank across the state, including its commercial banking division. Leading the charge
A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Ellingsen’s journey to the U.S. took many new paths and quick pivots. Born in Norway and having lived in Venezuela and Canada in his younger years, Ellingsen settled on the East Coast, where he attended James Madison University. He feels his upbringing has contributed to his global view and unique perspective: “It was tough at the time to pick up and move to another country or continent, but all those places opened me up to new experiences, cultures and the opportunity to learn about people,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated that exposure and how it shaped me into the person I am today.” After meeting his wife, Natalie, and completing his undergrad on the East Coast, they decided to move to the West Coast. “We wanted to live out west, so we packed up the car and drove to California,” he said. “What I like about California is the diversity and the wide variety of opportunities. Twenty-one years later, we’re still happy to be living here.”
Ellingsen’s first job with the bank was as a four-month temporary junior accountant, which included helping in the CB&T’s mailroom. As an eager, recent college graduate, he was happy just to land a job. Talking about his start at CB&T, Ellingsen said, “On day one, I walked in and they said to me: ‘We’ve got this mailroom and there are huge bags with a ton of interoffice mail that we need help with.’ Back then, all the invoices came in on paper and my job was to sort that mail.” It didn’t take long before his temp assignment led to a permanent one with the bank’s finance team and progressively more senior roles handling risk management, regulatory compliance, international banking and asset/liability management. In 2012, he was promoted to CFO, managing the company’s finances. Then, in 2016, he became president and COO, overseeing business and branch banking, SBA lending, private banking, corporate services, and the bank’s finance and planning functions.
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IN YOUR CORNER ISSUE 7 | 2021
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