Florida Banking December 2021 | January 2022

“I WAS TRAINED BY A GENTLEMAN WITH THE PHILOSOPHY TO EMPOWER PEOPLE BY GIVING THEM RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE THEY’RE ‘READY,’ AND WE’VE ALWAYS ADOPTED THAT HERE.”

director, and John and his team took over and have done a great job,” said Pinner. “His whole career, Ernie has delegated down, and he allowed me to become a CEO much younger than he should have,” said Corbett. “One of the traits of a great leader is that they work themselves out of a job.” Pinner credits his leadership style to his own mentor, veteran banker Jim White, who gave him his first job in banking. “I was trained by a gentleman with the philosophy to empower people by giving them responsibility before they’re ‘ready,’ and we’ve always adopted that here,” said Pinner. It is by his example that the bank prioritizes mentorship and invests time and resources to educate young people. SouthState welcomes a diverse group of 30+ college students and grads through its internship program each year. “The best way to learn is by watching the people you want to emulate. Ernie set that example for John; John has set it for me; I try to set it for the 10 people who report to me, and I hope they set an example for the hundreds of people who report to them,” said Thompson. “Both Ernie and John have made sure that our values are not just words on a piece of paper or a plaque on the wall. Living by example is the best way to get the culture to take root.” ERNEST S. PINNER Ernest S. Pinner (“Ernie”) has been an active banker all of his adult life, gaining over 56 years of experience in the banking industry. Pinner was the founder and original president and CEO of CenterState Bank which was formed in 1999. He later became Chairman and CEO of the combined CenterState Banks of Florida. Most recently, he served as the Executive Chairman of CenterState Bank Corporation, and is now a director on the board of SouthState Corporation. Prior to the formation of CenterState in 1999, Pinner was an Area President and Senior Vice President of First Union National Bank from 1986 to 1999. Pinner is a native of Florida. In fact, his family goes back seven generations in Florida. He is a graduate of the University of Florida and earned a degree in Banking and Finance. Pinner is an active member of the Polk County community, serving or having served on various community boards.

- ERNEST S. PINNER

Through a practice of encouraging young people and giving them opportunities before they were ‘ready,’ Pinner has empowered his team to rise up and become great leaders themselves, dedicated to promoting a culture that he instilled.

10 — FLORIDA BANKING THE VOICE OF FLORIDA BANKING