From Service in Bosnia to Banking in Georgia

Mark Nix is a vice president in Commercial Banking Solutions Business Development. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army National Guard, serving in the Bosnian War and completing two tours in Panama. In 1992, he received an Army Accommodation Award and Medal for stepping up and taking charge when called on.

A former top-performing branch manager, Nix recently stepped up to join the new Commercial Banking Solutions Business Development team and is already leading new clients to Regions. We sat down to talk with Nix to learn more about how he has navigated his career – and how he found his way into banking.

You didn’t initially set out to go into banking, tell us a bit about your early career journey.

Before joining the military at age 19, I was working a retail management job where I had started when I was 16. My former brother-in-law approached me about joining his unit in the Army National Guard, so I decided it would be a great way to get a variety of experience while serving my country.

I went back to school and became a heavy equipment mechanic, then in 1996 I went to the Bosnian War where I was rebuilding starters and alternators. While in the military I was cross trained for a number of jobs. While on one of two tours in Panama, the First Sergeant went on vacation, and I was tasked with taking charge of the Army personnel by managing them and keeping up with all the orders of shipping and receiving of military equipment in his absence. It was after that I received the Army Accommodation Award and Medal.

You joined Regions as a branch manager in 2009, tell us about making the move into banking.

I decided to join Regions in 2009 after working in the jewelry industry. I started as an assistant manager working at the Douglasville, Georgia, main office branch. I became a branch manager within 11 months, and my first branch was the Shiloh Square Branch in Kennesaw, Georgia. I was recognized as part of the Chairman’s Club while at Shiloh Square. The last branch I managed was the brand-new Nexus Branch Parkaire Landing in Marietta, Georgia, which I helped open in 2018.

You were very successful as a branch manager. What motivated you to move into business development?

I was always approached to move into commercial banking and hadn’t really been interested since I enjoyed working in the branches with our consumer customers. I loved helping with all the needs from our customers while also managing a successful team. One day I said to myself that I really need to give this a try. I approached my manager and she spoke to a Commercial Banking Leader for the Georgia market with the Commercial Banking Solutions department. I had a subsequent meeting with this leader, and when the opportunity came around, I applied and began working on the Commercial Banking Solutions team as a relationship manager in June 2020 covering the Metro Atlanta market. When the Commercial Banking Solutions Business Development relationship manager job was announced I raised my hand to join the team.

How did your experience in the military translate into how you navigated your career?

With all the training I received in leadership skills and organization skills in the Army it carried on to shaping me into becoming who I am today. You respect life more and the values you learned to help others really resonate. You want to always be the best that you can be. My time in the military also helped me become a better man.

What advice would you give someone looking at a career in banking?

I say to apply for what you think you would be great at and take the leap of faith and see where it takes you. If you know someone already in banking, then make sure you reach out to them so you can use them as your reference. If you don’t enjoy what you are doing, then you will not be doing that job for long. I have found banking to be such a fulfilling career, and credit hard work and a strong, varied background in my success.

Bring Your Whole Self to Work

We have a passion for creating an inclusive environment that promotes and values diversity of race, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sex, pregnancy, and many other primary and secondary dimensions that make each of us unique as individuals and provide valuable perspective that makes us a better company and employer. More importantly, we recognize that creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of background, can do their best work is the right thing to do.