One of Us

Matt Price

Posted

Tell me about your background role.

As a commercial banking relationship manager, I work directly with small businesses to assist them with their finances. In my role, I manage about 70 commercial relationships and work with small business owners in the Jacksonville area.  I attended college at Georgia Southern University and started working in finance right out of college. When I started my career, I worked for Bank of America in the lobby and started at Regions 16 years ago. 

What do you find to be the most inspirational aspect of your role?

I love working face-to-face with small business owners. Although I don’t own my own company, working with these business owners gives me a lot of insight about what it’s like to be a business owner. I’ve learned about the amount of time that it takes to build and run a business, along with all of the risks that have to be taken as a business owner. I love being able to work with these businesses owners to assist them with their finances. I have gained a lot of knowledge and appreciation for small businesses. 

What is special to you about working with small businesses over larger corporations?

I like working with small businesses over corporations because so many American citizens are employed by small businesses. The majority of the small businesses I work with are family-owned and a lot of these businesses date back three or four generations. Some of the companies I’ve worked with have started out in a small garage and have eventually moved up to operating out of a fully functioning, high-tech warehouse. It’s really amazing to watch the evolution of these businesses as I work with them.

What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of your role?

I’ve seen some of the greatest challenges come about because of COVID-19. A lot of small businesses are suffering and I’ve been working with them to help rebuild their finances, and this has definitely been a challenge. Regions has processed over 50,000 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications since the start of the pandemic and has funded about $5 billion through the program. The biggest challenge I’ve faced is getting through this pandemic and helping our clients recover from the impact of COVID-19. However, despite these challenges, we are seeing a lot of improvements since the start of the pandemic.

What do you love most about the Ponte Vedra community?

The main reason I love living in the Ponte Vedra community is the safety aspect of it. As a father, I love raising my child here because I feel that it is a safe community and  a great place to raise a family. I also love the location – the proximity of Ponte Vedra to everything else is great. We are close to downtown, close to St. Augustine, and close to the beach. I also love that I have everything I need right within the Ponte Vedra community and never have to stray far from home.

What do you enjoy doing with your family outside of your work with Regions?

We are a big tennis family. My wife and I, along with our 15-year-old son, all love playing tennis. We love that it is an outdoor activity and great exercise. On the weekends, there’s always something going on whether it be a tournament, playing with our tennis league, or playing together as a family. It’s also been a great activity during the pandemic because it’s one thing we can all safely do together.