Bank of Botetourt President and CEO G. Lyn Hayth III said, “We currently have four employees enrolled in the school and more that will be attending in the near future. We have had 26 employees graduate from the program and our previous chairman, H. Watts Steger III, has been a Fellow for more than two decades. Bank of Botetourt believes in investing in its employees and the importance of expanding and diversifying their knowledge base. The Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management at Darden is one of the most prestigious in the country and we look forward to continuing our relationship with the school.”
VBA President and CEO Bruce Whitehurst commented about this year’s graduating class, “We are proud of the 63 bankers who graduated this year. These students have developed a range of skills that will both enhance their current performance, as well as qualify them as potential candidates for advancement within their institutions. The connections they have made with other students – even after a fully virtual program in 2020 – will benefit them both personally and professionally for years to come.”
Through the use of highly qualified instructors and a challenging curriculum, the Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management is designed to provide a multidimensional banking educational experience. Graduates complete three one-week summer sessions and eight home study problems. In their third and final year, students participate in a BankExec simulation, which provides them the opportunity to make decisions as senior officers of a bank. Graduates broaden their knowledge in all respects of banking, economics, and related subjects.
Pledge is located at the bank’s Troutville Loan Services Center. She has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, 14 of them being with Bank of Botetourt. Pledge manages the Loan Documentation Department and continues to be an instrumental part of the bank’s compliance team. She is a lifelong resident of Roanoke and resides in the city with her husband George.
