by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Fant returns to familiar scene at Meninak
Years have passed since his last trip to the Meninak Club of Jacksonville, but it still felt the same to Jay Fant.
Through the 1970s and 80s, the now-First Guaranty Bank president and CEO attended several meetings with someone he’s looked up to all his life: longtime Meninak member, former First Guaranty Bank president and CEO and (perhaps the most prestigious title), his father, Hickory.
“This club is very special to me,” said Jay Fant, recalling being his father’s guest to weekly Monday luncheons many years ago, later adding: “He felt is was important for me to attend some of his business.”
Again with his father at his side, the younger Fant returned Monday to address close to 100 Meninak members with a message of determined optimism in the face of a down economy along with a personal story involving mentoring and its current need – but not before he took the chance to slightly embarrass his father with a few good-natured stories.
Joking aside, Fant alluded to it being a privilege to be his father’s son and growing up with him in his life. The situation of having a male role model is one that isn’t as prevalent as it once was, he said, which is something he realized with his time in Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring an 8-year-old boy named Daniel until his early 20s.
“You can really tell what a difference being a mentor makes to a child,” he said. “Just spending time with them ... letting them know that you want to follow what they’re doing.”
He called the situation of fathers leaving women and children behind “leaving widows and orphans” and said the worsening situations within communities is “so large it’s sad.”
Fant praised the mentoring programs of the civic organization – heightened this year under President Bunky Johnson with the creation of a a special mentoring committee – and said speaking to the group was a reminder to further incorporate it into the business.
And while he went into the engagement “not wanting to bore” the crowd with stories of the banking industry, he did have a message of perseverance.
“We know these are tough economic times,” he said, later adding: “We got to this (recession) together and we’ll get out of it together.”
While Fant said he didn’t see any evidence of the economic tide turning (“It’s a long-term process,” he said) the question arises of how both banks – and their clients – view their actions when financial times are good once again.
Working with customers on real and potential problems instead of viewing them as sterile numbers further strengthens a bank-client relationship in the end.
“The last thing I want to do is get all legal on them,” said Fant, who is a lawyer in addition to bank leader. “We’re doing everything we can to save these companies and homes.”
In addition, regulators are making it difficult for banks to lead the charge out of the recession, he said in response to a question, and such actions need to be addressed by officials in Washington, D.C.
While also agreeing with his mentoring message, Fant’s timing on banking couldn’t have been more appropriate for the club to hear, said Johnson.
“These are real people and real business owners having problems,” said Johnson. “It’s comforting to know that some banks, like First Guaranty, are willing to work their clients through these hard times.”
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