Virginia Banker Appointed Chair of ABA’s American Bankers Council

The American Bankers Association today announced that John Asbury has been named chair of ABA’s American Bankers Council for the 2023-2024 membership year. 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. He is also ABA’s chair-elect and has previously served as vice chair of ABA’s Board of Directors.

Asbury joined Atlantic Union Bank in 2016 as part of a planned CEO succession and has overseen several strategic acquisitions as the bank has grown to more than $20 billion in assets.

“I’m pleased to step into this new role as chair of the ABC group, which provides an important platform for midsize bank CEOs to share insights about the opportunities and challenges facing our institutions and the wider banking industry,” said Asbury. “It’s an honor to advocate for policies that will help ensure the sustained prosperity and competitiveness of banks like ours as they serve the needs of their valued customers and communities.”

The American Bankers Council is ABA’s banker-driven peer group for midsize bank chief executives. The council provides feedback and direction to ABA on key regulatory and legislative issues critical to midsize banks. The council also participates in regular meetings with their peers to exchange information and share best practices on issues affecting their banks.

"We’re grateful for John’s service to ABA and to his peers through his roles on ABA’s board of directors and now in his new position as ABC chair,” said Rob Nichols, ABA president and CEO. “His experience throughout the banking sector and his record of service to his community demonstrate that he’s the right person at the right moment to represent his midsize bank peers across the country.”

Asbury is a career banker with over 30 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking. He began his banking career in the commercial training program at Wachovia Bank & Trust before working for seventeen years in a variety of positions at Bank of America, as Pacific Northwest region executive for business banking, and for six years at Regions Financial Group, as senior executive vice president and head of the business services group. He then served as president and CEO at First National Santa Fe, a community bank, before joining Atlantic Union Bank.

He has served on various non-profit boards including the Virginia Port Authority, Virginia Learns and the Greater Richmond Partnership. He is also a past chairman of the Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America and the Virginia Bankers Association.

Asbury earned a bachelor's degree in business from Virginia Tech and an MBA from The College of William & Mary.