Approachable, genuine, and authentic, Robby has been our Garners Ferry branch manager since 2009. He loves helping the hard-working members of his community achieve their goals.
While in college at the University of South Carolina studying criminal justice, Robby started working at a small mortgage brokerage and realized he had a passion for helping people through the financial industry. After completing his degree, he decided to pursue finance, and ended up here, with us, at AllSouth. As a branch manager, Robby's daily duties include working with our Garners Ferry team members, including the tellers and the member service representatives, as well as working directly with members. His job is to make sure the branch in functioning at top tier levels, meeting goals, and keeping his team accountable for providing great service. The team has weekly huddles, and constant daily communication to make sure everything is operating smoothly.
Like many of our AllStars, Robby’s 'why' is all about helping our members. “I just like helping people” was his response when asked what his favorite part of his job is. Robby mentioned how his day is often brightened by a member whom he helped in the past stopping in just to say hello. Being able to build relationships with members means a lot to Robby. He explained that sometimes members have a goal in mind, but they don’t know what is necessary to make that goal a reality, and he is able to help with that. Robby described a situation where he had a member who had really been struggling with their finances. Over the years, Robby assisted the member and eventually the member was able to purchase a car and a home with the help of an Auto Loan and a Mortgage. Robby explained that what stands out about this situation and others like it is not just that the member has now met a certain financial goal, but that they are achieving things that help to create the life they want.
Robby has seen folks get into trouble with their finances, “it’s a slippery slope, and seeing that made me want to help people out and understand their finances,” he said. Because of this, he feels strongly about helping to educate others regarding finances. He enjoys when he is able to help members figure out their goals and how to achieve them, even though that can sometimes mean having to encourage major lifestyle changes.
One of the main reasons Robby has been part of our team for so long is because he feels that AllSouth really takes care of their people, which in turn makes it possible for us to take care of our members. After a moment of reflection, he said, “how upper management treats every employee is amazing, you can tell they feel that their employees are AllSouth’s greatest asset. I have good support and it helps me support my team.” Robby explained how he wakes up wanting to come to work, help others, and make the every day possible with his team. Feeling like he is driven to succeed helps him do just that.
Part of taking care of each other is about feedback, and Robby mentioned how his supervisor, Misty, helps to support him by providing feedback, and that she is always there for him. This allows him to better support our Garners Ferry team, whether by delegating tasks or assisting members. When speaking about Robby, Misty said, "(he) prioritizes service and expects his team to do the same. As a result, Robby and the staff at Garners Ferry frequently receive compliments." Recently, Robby and the Garners Ferry team received this comment from members Susan and Charles, "through thick and thin, ups and downs over the years especially through COVID, life events, and more, this staff has been exceptional. We just want to say thank you very much!".
Robby's motto is not to take anything for granted. He's thankful every day for his life, family, and job, and all of the opportunities he has. Robby believes in working hard and living within his means, with his largest motivation being his family: a wonderful wife and three sons. He says a fathers’ greatest accomplishment is seeing their boys become fine young men. Outside of our Garners Ferry branch, you'll find Robby spending time with his family. This includes watching Carolina sports, especially Gamecock football, and taking a beach trip to Pawley's island. When he has time, he loves to golf.