John S. Poole

Secretary

John Poole is a respected community leader with more than 30 years of banking experience.  After attaining his Master in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina, Mr. Poole began his banking career in 1976 at the Bankers Trust of South Carolina. He remained with the bank through its merger with NCNB and NationsBank and was named the Young Banker of the Year for the State of South Carolina by the South Carolina Bankers Association in 1991.  Mr. Poole then served as President/CEO of Carolina Southern Bank, Executive Vice President of NBSC and President and CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce.  Mr. Poole is currently the President and CEO of Carolina Alliance Bank. 

Throughout his career, Mr. Poole has remained active in the Spartanburg community. He has chaired the Boards of the United Way of the Piedmont, Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Charles Lea Center, Arts Partnership of Greater Spartanburg, and Leadership Spartanburg’s Board of Regents.  Poole has also served on various other local and regional boards including the Carolina Piedmont Foundation, Spartanburg Community College Foundation and the South Carolina Bankers Association.  He currently serves on the Investment Oversight Committee for the City of Spartanburg and is a member of the Executive Committee of USC Upstate’s Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education.  Poole is an Elder at First Presbyterian Church and is a member of the Spartanburg Rotary Club.

Poole has received numerous awards and recognitions for his contributions to our community which include the Neville Holcombe Distinguished Citizenship Award from the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Spartanburg’s Alumni of the Year, and Spartanburg Development Association’s Alan R. Willis Society of Service Award.