Clark Oakley is a lifetime community banker having started his career in banking at the age of 16. Clark was exposed early on to the day-to-day business implications of running a bank from the customer-facing aspect to the operational infrastructure necessary to provide products and services consumers demand. As the Chief Operating Officer at Wilson Bank & Trust (WBT), a Tennessee-based community bank managing $5 billion in assets, Clark assists in the day-to-day operations ensuring that all the systems, resources, and people are in place to achieve the strategic and business goals of the company.
Clark’s wealth of experience in the banking industry has provided him unique insights when it comes to being a leader of 600+ employees at one of the top 5 largest banks in Tennessee. In his current role, Clark has held various leadership roles throughout his banking career. To say that Clark Oakley is passionate about banking is an understatement. In 2005, Clark founded A Banker’s World, a network of senior operational community bank leaders across more than 30 states, who meet virtually each month, as well as in person annually to share best practices to learn and grow each other’s knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities within their organizations. He loves connecting other bankers who can benefit each other through networking.
With more than 30 years of banking experience, Clark is a results-driven leader who has proven to possess the business acumen necessary to lead an organization through rapid and consistent growth and change. Clark holds a BA in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at LSU, as well being a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt professional.