This week The Columbian-Progress spotlights David McLeod of Citizens Bank.
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg on June 1, 1981.
Q: Where did you attend school?
A: West Marion High School, PRC, Ashworth College, Mississippi School of Banking and LSU School of Banking.
Q: Where do you work? Tell us about your job/company.
A: I'm the vice president and assistant operations manager. I really wear a lot of hats. Anything to do with electronic payments, special projects, the teller system, remote deposit capture, mobile deposit capture, a lot of those different areas.
Q: What led you to your profession?
A: When I was at PRC, I got a degree in electronics, so I just felt like the bank was a place where I could maybe utilize that. And also, it's a real stable job that will allow me to be home at night and on the weekends, which would be the same schedule as my wife.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Helping people find solutions to their problems.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
A: Helping people find solutions to their problems.
Q: What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
A: Be willing to lead by example. Don't ask other people to do stuff you're not willing to do.
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A lawyer. I just thought they got to dress really sharp and were cool.
Q: What was your first job?
A: I worked at Walmart in the Tire and Lube Express.
Q: Who is the person who has been most influential in your life?
A: My parents and grandparents both instilled in me the value of hard work. And then, professionally, probably Chip Williamson who was the president here at the bank who passed away a couple years ago. He taught me a lot about combining business knowledge with common sense and how to relate to people.
Q: What is your spouse’s name?
A: Niki Dement McLeod
Q: Do you have children?
A: We don't have any kids. We have a little farm with lots of critters and lots of nieces and nephews.
Q: If you could have anything for your last meal on earth, what would it be?
A: Fajitas
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I would like to go to Yellowstone.
Q: What hobbies do you like to do in your spare time?
A: Hunting and fishing.
Q: What do you enjoy about Columbia and Marion County?
A: The sense of community that everybody's friendly and knows everybody. I guess that sense of camaraderie.
Q: What clubs or organizations are you involved with? Where do you go to church?
A: We go to The Church on Main. I'm in the Leadership of Marion County program right now, and I'm also on the planning committee for Hope Outdoors.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone from your life or history, who would it be and why?
A: My brother who passed away when he was 16, just to catch up.
Q: What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
A: Chopped.
Q: What moment in your life has had the biggest impact on who you are today?
A: When my brother passed. I had to grow up quicker than I was ready to.
Q: What is one thing you want to do that you’ve never tried?
A: I would like to ride a hot air balloon.
Q: Using one word for each, what are your top three defining characteristics?
A: Resourceful, considerate, reliable.
Q: How would you like to be remembered?
A: As somebody who did what was right even if it wasn't what was easy.
