Hancock Whitney Bank Legacy of Citizenship in the Gulf Region

Its size and reach allow Hancock Whitney to provide “big bank capacity with a small bank feel,” says Eric Obeck, senior regional president. That small bank feel is rooted in its 135-year-old traditions of community and customer service and investment. “There’s a high degree of connectivity between our people and the communities in which they live and work,” Obeck says. “Our corporate values of service, teamwork, honor and integrity influence all of our dealings as an institution and as individual representatives of the bank. Rarely a day goes by in which we aren’t discussing how these values guide us going forward.”

Supporting the work of the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is a natural outcome, as it were, of Hancock Whitney’s philosophy. The Gulf Coast environment is at the heart of the region’s economy. “Nature and outdoor recreation are top reasons people choose to live and start businesses in Florida and other Gulf States,” Obeck says. “At the same time, continued development of the region puts pressure on the natural resources that attract us all. That’s why we as a bank choose to invest in the wise management of our natural resources to ensure their long-term vitality.”

Obeck has a deep personal connection to nature. An Eagle Scout, he grew up in the Chesapeake Bay region and watched the slow decline of its water quality and fisheries in the 1970’s and 1980’s. “I had unbelievable experiences growing up on the Bay, harvesting shellfish, fishing for striped bass, but I witnessed the changes. I want to be sure Hancock Whitney is doing its part to prevent similar losses from occurring here.”

He’s optimistic about our long-term chances in Florida. “Tampa Bay has improved considerably in the 32 years I’ve lived here after being recruited out of school by Barnett Bank. The sea grass beds have returned, and with them the fisheries have rebounded. This is all the more remarkable given how Tampa and St. Pete have grown over those years.”