ABA Elects Atlantic Union Bank CEO John C. Asbury as New ABA Chair

The American Bankers Association today elected John C. Asbury as its chair for the 2024 - 2025 association year at ABA’s annual convention held in New York City. Asbury is the president and CEO of Atlantic Union Bankshares and CEO of Atlantic Union Bank, a Richmond, Va.-based bank with 109 branches in Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

“Through his bold leadership and dedicated service to our industry, John has proven that he is just the right person to step into this critically important role,” said Rob Nichols, ABA president and CEO. “His tremendous background and experience at banks of all sizes will be an asset as ABA works to ensure that all banks can continue to meet the needs of their customers, clients and communities in an increasingly challenging regulatory environment.”

“I’m excited to step into this new leadership role within our industry and work alongside my peers to strengthen America's banks and power the U.S. economy,” said Asbury. “We have tremendous opportunities in the year ahead to serve ABA members across the country and ensure that banks of all sizes can continue to deliver the products and services their customers want and need."

Asbury came to Atlantic Union as part of a planned succession at the bank. He is a career banker with over 35 years of experience in commercial banking. Previously, Asbury was president and CEO of privately held First National Bank of Santa Fe, a multi-state bank with locations in New Mexico and Colorado. Prior to that, he was senior executive vice president and head of the Business Services Group at Regions Financial Corporation, one of the nation’s largest full-service banks. At Regions, Asbury led all lines of business that serve the company’s business and commercial banking customers. Prior to Regions, he spent 17 years at Bank of America, ultimately leaving as the Pacific Northwest Region Executive for Business Banking in Seattle. Asbury began his career in the management training program at Wachovia Bank & Trust in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Active in civic and industry affairs, Asbury previously served as chairman of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America and the Virginia Bankers Association. He also serves on the board of directors of a number of not-for-profit organizations and was appointed by the governor of Virginia to the Port of Virginia Board of Commissioners, where he currently chairs the port’s growth committee.

Asbury holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from Virginia Tech and an MBA from The College of William & Mary. He was born in Radford, Virginia.