Pub. 6 2016 Issue 3

12 www.azbankers.org 1. Did you grow up thinking you would be a bank President? Not really. I liked finance a lot but never thought it would lead to banking. My formative years were in the '80s when finance was all about Wall Street, junk bonds, and corporate takeovers. I read the business section of the newspaper every day in my teens because I was fascinated with compound interest and investing. I should have seen the signs. 2. Some people think banking sounds boring… what’s the most exciting part of your career? I have the best job I could imagine. Making dreams come true is the most exciting part of my career. BBVA Compass has a brand promise of providing bright futures for people. We help families buy homes and cars. We help people save and invest for education and retirement. We help entrepreneurs build businesses that grow our economy and employ people. 3. What do you think is unique about your bank? Several things are unique about BBVA Compass. First, I think it's our purpose, which is to bring the age of op- portunity to everyone. It's a heavy weight to carry on our shoulders, but I think we do a great job at providing bright futures for people and our communities. Secondly, our focus on the growing digital wave helps position us for the future of our business. Our digital transformation and technol- ogy investments give clients unparalleled transparency and control. 4. How do you see banking changing based on technology? I think we are going to see a lot of the things we've been talking about for the last 20 years actually change in the next 3-5 years. You could even say banking is already chang- ing in some respects. Enhanced connectivity to your bank through mobile devices, incredible advances in security, and the dramatic reduction of checks are all either right around the corner or are already here. The bank’s transformation is driven by the current changes in technology and the big data revolution. 5. Where would we find you during the summer when it’s too hot in Arizona? If we're here, we are in movie theaters or the pool. We al- ways try to take a big family vacation and maybe one or two long weekend trips to cooler weather in Northern AZ. This past summer we went to New York City and stayed right in Times Square. We loved the hustle and bustle of the big city and really enjoyed the arts, culture, and history. w BBVA Compass Getting to know Brad Parker By BRAD PARKER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, PHOENIX AND NORTHERN ARIZONA CEO