Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> December 30, 2016
Steven E. Crouse is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Paragon Commercial Corporation. Mr. Crouse is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day financial processes of the bank, as well as focusing on the strategy behind budgets, planning, forecasts, contract review, developing policies, asset liability management and vendor relations. With more than 23 years in the industry, Mr. Crouse is a great asset to Paragon Bank and all of its clients. Prior to becoming Paragon Bank’s CFO more than nine years ago, Mr. Crouse spent eight years at McGladrey & Pullen, where he worked in both the audit and tax divisions. In 1998, Mr. Crouse became the Controller at Capital Bank, which at the time was a $90 million startup. He was Capital Bank’s interim CFO for nine months before joining Paragon Bank in early 2005 to start the finance department, which had previously been outsourced. Mr. Crouse is a CPA and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants. In the community, Mr. Crouse has been an active Cub and Boy Scout leader, including five years as a Cub Master for a pack with 110 cubs. He joined the Occoneechee Council board of directors eight years ago and spent the past two years as the Director of Finance, also serving on the executive committee, the investment committee, the finance committee and the audit committee (Ex-Officio). He has been awarded numerous leadership awards for his service with the Boy Scouts of America and is an Eagle Scout himself. Additionally, he served on the board for The First Tee of the Triangle, where he was Treasurer and part of the executive committee, and he is still on the board for Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina where he is also Treasurer. For his active involvement in the community, he was selected by Triangle Business Journal as the 2013 Triangle CFO of the Year. A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Mr. Crouse attended NC State University, where he earned bachelor’s degrees in accounting and business management. Profile
Robert C. Hatley, President and CEO, founded Paragon Commercial Corporation — Paragon Bank — in 1999. A native of Concord, Mr. Hatley received his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. For the next 14 years, he served with Wachovia Bank as a Field Representative, a Credit Manager, a Branch Manager and City Executive. From 1988 to 1998 Mr. Hatley worked with Peoples/Centura Bank, serving the last four years as Regional Market Manager of the Wake County commercial market. Mr. Hatley was named 2008 Carolinas Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for financial services. Mr. Hatley has been involved in community service for many years. In 2015 he was appointed by Gov. Pat McCrory to serve a four-year term on Appalachian State University’s board of trustees. He also served as the 2015-2016 Chairman of the North Carolina Bankers Association and on the Leadership Council of the WakeEd Partnership. Previously he served as Chairman of the board of the Cary Chamber of Commerce. He is also past President of the Cary Rotary Club and past Director of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Hospice of Wake County, Wake Med Foundation and North Carolina Chamber. He served as Chairman of First Tee of the Triangle in 2014 and is the past Chairman of the foundation board of the Cary Rotary Club. In addition, he served on the board of visitors of Appalachian State University. Profile
TWST: Can you describe the bank and its primary services?
Mr. Hatley: We opened in May of 1999 and offer businesses and individuals a private banking experience.