Bill Holmes Award

Chris Milum Receives Bill Holmes Leadership Award

Batesville banker awarded for service to community and country

by Jeanni Brosius

Chris Milum, 33, has always had a passion for helping people, leadership and service.

On October 23, the Emerging Leaders Section of the Arkansas Bankers Association recognized Milum as the 2020 recipient of the Bill Holmes Leadership Award.

“I was shocked to be selected for this great award,” Milum said. “I know a lot of people in the banking community thought a lot of Mr. Holmes, so to receive an award in his honor was mind-blowing.”

This award is in honor of Bill Holmes, former Arkansas Bankers Association president, and it recognizes outstanding leadership among the emerging leaders in Arkansas banking.

PHOTO: Chris was recently selected as the Army National Guard’s Company Grade Officer of the Year. Photo courtesy of Milum.

“His leadership has enabled the bank to meet the needs of our customers and the communities where we operate. Chris’ dedication to his profession, country and community can be seen through his work and work ethic.”

Because he enjoyed math and business classes in school, he said it helped shape his decision to direct his career toward banking. The 2006 Batesville High School graduate began interning at First Community Bank in Batesville during the summers of 2007 and 2008 while attending Arkansas State University. When he and his wife, Kaylea, moved back to Batesville, he joined the First Community Bank team full time in September of 2015.

“Chris is a rising star in our institution, and he contributes to our success,” Boris Dover, FCB’s president and COO, said. “His leadership has enabled the bank to meet the needs of our customers and the communities where we operate. Chris’ dedication to his profession, country and community can be seen through his work and work ethic.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred change in the banking industry. Congress passed the CARES ACT that included the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help small businesses. Dover asked Milum to help head up a team to implement this program.

“I told them that I would be glad to help in any way I could,” Milum said.

He also considered it a bonus that he would be working with his mentor, Robb Roberts, who is senior vice president of commercial lending and special projects at FBC.

“We quickly realized this program was not only going to help the businesses in our communities but also help the workers stay employed and put food on the table,” Milum said. “Being put in charge of a historic program was a huge undertaking. We had to develop a process, assemble a team and implement the program for all 27 branches across two states.”

Under Milum’s leadership, the team was able to help more than 900 businesses, totaling $70 million.

PHOTOS: (clockwise from bottom left) Associates at the bank presented Chris with the Bill Holmes Award during a ceremony at the bank. First Community Bank Flag & Soda day. Chris with his wife Kaylea and two children, Olivia and Luke. Chris presented with the Army National Guard Company Grade Officer of the Year Award. Photos courtesy of Milum.

It also helped give 10,234 employees a paycheck during such unprecedented times.

“This took countless hours of work from many great people,” Milum said. “One night I remember leaving the bank at around 12:30 in the morning from submitting PPP applications to the [Small Business Association].”

In addition to banking, Capt. Milum has also served in the Arkansas Army National Guard for eight years, and he is the Company Commander of the 224th Support Maintenance Company in Mountain Home. He also was chosen as the 2020 Army National Guard’s Grade Officer of the Year.

“I later found out that I won the federal version of this award, The Theodore Roosevelt Leadership Award for Company Grade Officers,” Milam said. “Both of these awards were presented for my time as a guardsman but also for my leadership in the community.”

Recently, he was nominated for the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award.

He and Kaylea have two children, Olivia, 5, and Luke, 3. Milum’s service also extends to the community where he serves on the Batesville School Board, Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce Board and Eagle Mountain Properties Association Board. He is the treasurer for State Rep. Stu Smith (R-Batesville).

“I would like to one day become the chief lending officer, or maybe I might even get lucky enough to run my own bank one day,” Milum said about his banking career goals.