Lee Williams III

Lee Williams III is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, bringing a wealth of experience from his extensive career in banking and finance. He began his banking career in 1973 at Wachovia after graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. Over 19 years at Wachovia, he managed the Corporate Lending group for the three-county area of southeastern North Carolina. In 1992, he re-joined Chip Mahan at Cardinal Bancshares. Williams then spent 14 years at Vine Street Financial, where he held several positions, including president and senior SBA lender, before the company became a division of BB&T through mergers and acquisitions. Beyond his professional career, Williams serves on the Elon University Board of Trustees, the New Hanover County Airport Authority board, and several private company boards as a managing member. He has also served as president and treasurer for numerous charitable and nonprofit organizations in Wilmington and other parts of North Carolina.