Banking president credits Auburn University’s College of Education for successful foundation

Beth Hallock has had an immensely successful 40-year career in banking, but it might surprise some to learn that her bachelor’s degree wasn’t solely focused on number crunching. 

Hallock is a 1977 graduate of Auburn University’s College of Education, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Education degree.

To this day, Hallock says what she learned at the College of Education set the foundation for all that was to come. 

“Lending eventually became my passion, and I had the opportunity to enter the world of Government Guaranteed Lending (SBA),” said Hallock, who recently retired from her role as president of United Community Bank’s Small Business Administration (SBA) division in Greenville, South Carolina. “This is a very detailed program and extremely competitive. Each customer meeting and presentation used all the skills I learned in education. Without the organizational skills, I would never have been able to grow and succeed in lending. I had numerous production awards over the years with the help and support of fantastic teams.”

Teaching on another level

After graduating from Auburn, Hallock said she soon married and relocated to Florida, where she ultimately went to work for a bank. 

“What I quickly learned was that a degree in education offered so much other than simply the credentials to teach in the educational system,” she said. “Within the first few years I began teaching a banking class as an adjunct professor at Gulf Coast Community College. It was a pleasure to talk about my current profession to individuals early in their educational studies.”

Hallock’s banking career progressed through the years with various roles, including branch manager and branch coordinator.

“Each of these roles involved developing and coordinating information for employees with various skill levels. This was teaching on another level,” she said. 

Rising to the ranks

Ultimately, Hallock rose to the ranks of president over United’s SBA division — no small feat in what, at the time, was a mostly male-dominated industry. 

“I am not sure I broke the glass ceiling, but I did have an extremely successful career in banking,” she said. “When I first started in banking, there were no female loan officers, so we had to work a little harder to be recognized. Fortunately, that was not a problem. The bottom line is every business wants the best and most successful people regardless of their race, gender or background.  Success, for me, sold itself.”

Upon her retirement on Sept. 30, Hallock had 75 direct reports throughout the U.S. and at the bank’s main office in Greenville — half of which were women. As part of her role, she was not only involved with supervising loan production but also credit quality and compliance of all aspects of the government program. Loan servicing, special assets and loan operations also reported to her.

“There were times when the stress of the job felt overwhelming, but I learned to trust the people and the process we had developed,” she said. “The organizational skills I had learned carried forward and allowed me to feel comfortable with our future in an uncertain economic environment.”

Under her leadership, United’s SBA division was ranked one of the top lenders by volume in the United States in 2023 by the Small Business Administration.

Hallock now resides in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and remains a big Auburn Tigers fan. 

“Growing up in south Alabama (Ozark), we all chose at a very early age either to adopt ‘War Eagle’ or ‘Roll Tide.’  It was ‘War Eagle’ for me even though both of my parents attended the University of Alabama,” she said. “We often attended football games in the early years and tailgated in the parking lots near the stadium. A large number of my friends all went to Auburn, and we began the journey together in 1973/1974. Auburn was the perfect place for me with the culture and history associated with the university." 

She added that her time in Auburn was a great opportunity that allowed her to explore different areas of concentration all while having fun. To those considering Auburn — specifically its College of Education — she has some advice. 

The heart of everything

“Incoming students should realize that the College of Education provides a wide runway allowing the individual to determine which path to pursue,” she said. “Education is at the heart of everything, regardless of a particular area of specialization.”

She said her own son found his path in juxtaposition to that of hers — receiving a business degree at Florida State University in 2004 and going into banking for only a few years before moving to teaching at a high school. He has been Teacher of the Year for Bay County and teaches AP classes while being an adjunct professor at Florida State.

“Most importantly,” she said, “he enjoys every moment of it.”  

Hallock said she has returned to Auburn’s campus in recent years to attend football games, adding that “while the campus has grown and changed, the spirit and warmth remain the same.  It is truly one of those places where you can go back and feel at home.”  

These days, Hallock — while retired — is still looking to make a difference back in her home in North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene caused so much damage recently. 

She said she hopes to work with the SBA disaster team to help individuals complete the needed documentation for funding to address the disaster.

Interestingly enough, while far from Auburn, she said the Asheville area near her home has a strong Auburn club, noting how “there are more (Auburn fans) than you would expect in Hendersonville.”

She said the group plans to start meeting again following the storm possibly by basketball season. Such love for Auburn, she said, is something she hopes to pass along to her family. 

“My grandson is my hope to continue the Auburn legacy,” she said.