Welcome to the Triumph team! This day has been a long time in the making, so I hope you will join me in celebrating our new relationship.
I hope that you’re as excited about today as I am. As some of you know, Triumph was recognized as one of the “Best Places to Work” in Dallas for 2013. Our team members’ votes earned us this award, which I believe is an indication that we have created a work environment that people enjoy. I tell you that because I want you to know that we are committed to creating the same environment at THE National Bank’s various locations as it becomes part of Triumph.
While of course I am biased, I genuinely believe we are building something special at Triumph. Following this transaction, our institution will be unique among most every other bank in the country. As with any building process, it requires a diverse set of tools. The acquisition of THE National Bank has added tools to Triumph that we previously did not have – primarily, a well-established community banking franchise. I want to recognize your efforts in creating that franchise over the past 12 plus years. One of the reasons we were initially interested in THE National Bank is your reputation and credibility in the community, which comes through the customer service you provide on a daily basis.
As exciting as this may be, I am sure this process has created anxiety for some of you. That is completely understandable. I also understand that I cannot allay all of your concerns in a single letter or by having breakfast delivered to your offices today (which I hope showed up!), but I can get us started on the right path. Transparent communication is essential to the success of Triumph, so you won’t be left uninformed. You may hear “I don’t know yet,” but you will never just get silence, or worse, misinformation.
So what does your future hold with Triumph? It depends primarily on you. We talk a lot about servant leadership at Triumph, which means that part of management’s job is to resource the team members to be excellent. We are committed to doing that, so when I say “it depends”, I mean “my goal is to make your success depend on you.” When we talk about success at Triumph, we use 4“D”s to describe our vision:
- Delivering Value — We will only be successful if team members consistently deliver value to the enterprise.
- Developing People — People can be our best asset or worst liability. Work to improve yourself and those around you.
- Demonstrating Expertise — Call your shots correctly on a consistent basis. Understand the details of your job.
- Displaying Commitment to Enterprise Success — Your actions should demonstrate a commitment to the success of the team over success of any one individual.
We recognize your talents and understand your role at THE National Bank is unique to our organization. It is a role that we cannot fill without you. You are now a member of the Triumph team, a stakeholder, and we are dedicated to your success. We want you to succeed in your role, whether you work in a branch or the corporate office.
Together, we manage a $1.25 billion enterprise. Together, we make up seven unique lines of business with a team of over 470 people. Together, we will utilize capital more effectively. Together, we can Triumph.
Let’s get started.
Aaron P. Graft