Kelley Kee, Tennessee State President, United Community Bank

Kelley Kee, Tennessee state president of United Community Bank (UCB), spoke with Invest: about the importance of hiring the right team to drive growth. “We want to double our presence in Tennessee and increase staff by over 50%. That only works if you invest in your people and make sure they want to stay,” Kee said. “It’s about getting all the pieces right: the team, the market, and the long-term strategy. Brad Edwards, our Middle TN Market President is a great example of this. Not only has he hired a very high quality team, his leadership keeps them engaged at all times.”

What changes across Tennessee’s financial and economic landscape have been most impactful to the bank’s strategy?

When you look at Tennessee, and Nashville in particular, the market has shifted significantly. If you want to build something today, you may now need a larger equity injection into the project. With higher interest rates, it’s becoming more difficult to make deals work from a cash flow-positive perspective. You need investors with the ability to front more equity. That’s a big challenge. We spend a lot of time in construction and real estate, and every deal has to make sense. That said, Nashville remains one of the best cities in the country for investment and taking risks. It’s a very resilient economy. We’re actively engaged in growth and feel optimistic about the future. Rates will likely come down, and when they do, Nashville is positioned to take off. While some markets have dipped, Nashville has remained relatively flat, which is very encouraging for real estate investors.

What have been the most significant milestones and achievements for UCB?

We entered the Tennessee market in 2022 when UCB bought Reliant Bank, and I came onboard in mid-2023. When you go through a merger, blending cultures can result in significant changes, both for employees and customers. We understand that change can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Our first priority was stabilizing the customer base and the team, and with Brad and others’ help, we succeeded. That was a big win and not an easy one. Nashville has become one of our top strategic growth markets, and we have led the company in growth in two of the last four quarters, which is impressive coming right out of a merger. We’re off to a good start in the third quarter of 2025. One major milestone was receiving our 11th JD Power award for customer service. Our brand is built on service, so that recognition matters. Tennessee showed the highest improvement in customer service scores across our footprint between 2023 and 2025. I had to double-check the numbers because the jump was so dramatic.

United has continued expanding in Tennessee and across the Southeast. What is your approach to growth in this region, and what factors are driving that strategy?

We’re committed to staying within the Southeast because it’s part of who we are. Some banks expand by opening branches or loan offices in new markets right away, but we do it differently. Our approach is to find the best people and teams within our markets and build the infrastructure around them. We’ve entered new markets without a physical presence by hiring the right teams first. There are a lot of banks in Tennessee, especially in Nashville, and gaining market share isn’t about just putting up a logo. It’s about talent. We find the best people with customer contacts and let them do what they do best. Branch expansion is possible, but it has to make strategic sense.

What does it take to earn trust and build lasting relationships in today’s banking landscape?

Trust is the hardest thing to earn and the easiest thing to lose. Our strategy is based on trust, and trust is earned by following through. We hire people who have already gained the trust of customers. You have to start with the right people. It’s simple: do what you say you’ll do and back it up every day. If a client calls with an issue, you call them back. That’s the foundation of trust. It’s also about being a strong problem solver, listening to the customer’s needs, and understanding their path of growth. We need to understand what matters most to the customer and to listen to their story and figure out how to be a supportive part of it. It’s not about telling them what to do, it’s about reacting quickly and adding value. A fast “no” is better than a long, drawn-out “maybe.” That’s how we operate, and it’s how we validate trust daily.

How do you balance digital innovation with the personal, relationship-driven approach UCB is known for?

Technology is a never-ending investment. If you’re not investing, you’re falling behind. We have to be able to continually improve on our technology platform. We have a robust online platform that is very user-friendly. The most technologically advanced systems can’t replace the face-to-face aspect of banking. You can’t go to ChatGPT to figure out how to finance a building or grow revenue. That takes real conversations with experienced people. As good and necessary as technology is, it will never replace relationships.

Looking ahead, what are your top priorities and goals in the Tennessee market over the next three to five years?

Our focus is on organic growth. While that’s not unique, it’s incredibly important, and acquiring and retaining customers is far cheaper than trying to do a merger or acquire another company. For us, growth means three things. The first is improving our share of wallet with existing clients and making sure we are delivering the entire bank to our customer base. The second is ensuring we have the full capability to attract new customers and hiring the right people to do so. People still bank with people, and when a customer follows their banker, that matters. The third is our physical presence. We’re looking at multiple expansion opportunities, but only where we have the right teams in place to make an immediate impact. We are strategically looking at places that customers want to bank and have a significant impact. We want to double our presence in Tennessee and increase staff by over 50%. It’s about getting all the pieces right: the team, the market, and the long-term strategy.