When Shawn Wilson was 8 years old, he started an account at Greater Kinston Credit Union without any knowledge of what he would do at the bank 18 years later.
Wilson, 26, was recently appointed as the CEO of Greater Kinston, the youngest one in the history of the bank, which was chartered in 1952.
For Wilson the job is a testament to his family and the city of Kinston.
“My grandmother, aunts, uncles and many of my family members have banked here,” Wilson said. “It’s surreal that I’m working here and very humbling. I would not be here if it wasn’t for the love and support of the community.”
Wilson graduated from Onslow Christian Academy in Jacksonville in 2005. He attended Lenoir Community College before graduating from Mount Olive in 2010 with a degree in business administration with a concentration in organizational development.
In 2006, Wilson received his first opportunity to work in the field of banking in a relatively random manner.
“At the time, I worked at Belk and I didn’t like the hours of retail,” Wilson said. “One day, I was helping a customer, who was a financial services representative at First Citizen’s Bank. She talked to me about becoming a teller and the rest is history.”
Wilson enjoyed his time at First Citizen’s bank, but was eager to ascend to a higher position.
“At 19 or 20, I felt like I could do this as a career instead of just a college job,” Wilson said. “I started evaluating and working to seize opportunities to move up.”
Those opportunities came; first, as a member service representative for First Flight in 2008, and then as a financial service officer for State Employees Credit Union in 2010.
Wilson was especially thankful for the training and multiple responsibilities he received at State Employees Credit Union.
“I knew it would be a door for me to do more than just loans,” Wilson said. “I did Linden training, mortgage applications and many other things. For a while, I came to a place of contentment, but still felt like there were higher goals to reach.”
Finally, on Jan. 8, Wilson was appointed as the interim manager of Greater Kinston Credit Union. On June 27, the interim title was removed and Wilson officially became the CEO on Aug. 1.
Wilson has received high praise from his employees.
“He’s very humble and fun to be around, but at the same time he’s serious about his job,” Member Service Specialist Tomeka Tillery said.
Loan Officer Kelly Reed had similar sentiments.
“He’s very nice and great to work with,” Reed said. “He’s always willing to help people out when he can.”
With a penchant for assisting others, Wilson has advice for those looking to fulfill their ambitions.
“You have to set high goals for yourself and expect nothing but the best, but always stay modest and humble,” Wilson said. “Seize opportunities, stay disciplined and have a strong support system.”
Junious Smith III can be reached at 252-559-1077 and Junious.Smith@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JuniousSmithIII.
Name: Shawn Wilson
Age: 26
Position: CEO of Greater Kinston Credit Union