Carrie Lackey, President & CEO, Taylorsville Savings Bank

Invest: spoke with Carrie Lackey, president and CEO of Taylorsville Savings Bank, about Alexander County’s growth prospects, the evolving role of community banks, and the institution’s priorities. “Our primary goal is supporting the community and its growth. We want to be part of that progress,” Lackey said.

How would you describe the business climate in Alexander County?

In Alexander County, people want to remain traditional in their values, but they are also excited about growth, business opportunities, and bringing new and exciting businesses into the county.

I have worked with Taylorsville Savings Bank for 26 years, and I would say that there has been real momentum over the past five years. There is excitement around growth, innovation, and change, but people still want to remain true to their traditional values. The question is how we can bring those two goals together.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for economic growth?

Land is abundant in Alexander County, including unrestricted land that can support growth. We are seeing significant housing growth and new construction through the banking industry, and we know that will lead to additional business opportunities.

Our market has traditionally been connected to the furniture industry. If we could bring more of that activity back to North Carolina, specifically Alexander County, it would be exciting because the county already has expertise in that area.

There is also a major push to invest in the skilled trades. We need plumbers, electricians, and other trade professionals. Alexander County has one high school, and it has created a Career and Technical Education program to show students that the trades offer valuable career opportunities. The school is working with the local community college to establish certificate programs.

I also serve on the board of the Foothills Home Builders Association, which includes Alexander County. We see the same need there, and the association is focused on finding ways to grow the skilled trades workforce.

What trends are you seeing in commercial lending?

Our commercial rates are generally tied to the Wall Street Journal prime rate, which has not been especially volatile in recent years. We have not seen much movement, and that stability has kept commercial borrowers from becoming overly concerned about sudden rate increases.

Most commercial clients would prefer a lower rate, but we are not seeing an uptick, either. I have not experienced a slowdown in demand. If anything, there continues to be a need and desire for growth related to infrastructure and housing in Alexander County.

What sets Taylorsville Savings Bank apart from larger institutions?

Customers want a more digital environment, so we are investing in the digital space to deliver current technology and convenient services.

What sets a community bank like Taylorsville Savings Bank apart is that we are focused on the community. Our primary goal is supporting the community and its growth. We want to be part of that progress.

We are a mutual savings bank, which means the bank is owned by its depositors. Our depositors are our customers, and they are the community we want to serve. We are always thinking about how we can best serve them, rather than focusing only on making the most money for investors.

Serving the community and meeting its needs are central to our mission. As the community grows and becomes more fast-paced and digital, we want to evolve with it while maintaining that focus.

How do you balance digital services with personal relationships?

We want customers to be able to come into the bank whenever they need us. I always say that you do not need a banker until you need one. You may use an app or online banking for your daily transactions, but when there is a problem, you need to know where to go and whom to speak with.

We work hard to retain our employees so customers see the same familiar faces when they enter the bank. Our employees know our customers, and our customers know them. We want people to feel like family and know they can come in, talk with us, and receive help.

We also use artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, not to replace employees. The goal is to help an employee accomplish 10 things instead of eight. We encourage employees to use AI in ways that create efficiencies in their jobs, but it must be used within a safe environment.

We have implemented safeguards to prevent data from being exposed. Customer information is one of the most important things we are responsible for protecting.

How is the bank helping customers manage rising costs?

We try to offer our products at the lowest possible cost while ensuring they remain good products. We do not want to impose unnecessary or junk fees.

That requires us to manage our own expenses carefully. We consider where we need to spend internally so that we can direct more resources into the community and the products we offer. Our goal is to give customers the best products we can at the lowest cost.

What does Alexander County need to remain competitive?

Alexander County needs a forward-thinking approach. In the past, there has sometimes been a belief that everything was fine and there was no need to change. We need to consider whether some growth could be beneficial and think about the direction we should take to attract jobs and investment.

We have the space to grow, and we should use it wisely. Sometimes disagreements and competing sides can get in the way. Alexander County will benefit if people work together and think about how growth can improve the community.

Grow for betterment’s sake. We should not pursue growth simply for the sake of growth. Thoughtful development can help Alexander County remain a lasting and successful community.

We have important road connections, including Highway 16 and U.S. highways 64 and 90, and we are located near the foothills. That gives us the potential to become a stopping place for tourism if we can build momentum.

I am excited because current leaders want to pursue those opportunities. We need people who are willing to be creative, seek grants, and find different ways to support progress.

I serve on a town board where we discuss every month what we can do to help Taylorsville grow. Improvements can include replacing signs, repairing streets, securing grants, or improving building facades. We now have a beautiful park in the center of town that hosts a concert series and attracts visitors. We need more initiatives that make Taylorsville a thriving and attractive place to visit.

What are your priorities for the bank over the next few years?

Our outlook is strong. We have doubled in size over the past five years, which is a positive indication of how Alexander County is growing.

Our priority is making sure we remain true to our core belief of taking care of the community first. We need to determine how to preserve that commitment within a progressive, changing, and fast-paced environment.

Our management team meets monthly and discusses whether we are staying focused on customer service. We ask whether customers can come in and speak with me or another member of management and whether we remain accessible.

Giving back to the community is also important. We have an incentive program through which employees who invest time in a community activity receive time off from the bank. We want our employees to understand that we are a community service organization.

We continually ask how we can help. We want to keep growing, serve our customers, add employees when necessary, manage expenses, and offer low-cost products. Our commitment to the community must remain at the center of everything we do.