Hale was recently named among the “25 Most Powerful Women in Banking.” This recognition by American Banker magazine placed Hale in the company of industry titans such as Irene Dorner, CEO of HSBC USA; and Beth Mooney, CEO of Key Corp.
In ranking Hale at No. 24, American Banker noted Community Trust’s improvements in key areas such as its efficiency ratio, which essentially measures how productive a bank is in generating revenue. The magazine noted Community Trust, a $3.6 billion-asset firm headquartered in Pikeville, has more than 81 locations in Kentucky, West Virginia and Tennessee. Hale improved the efficiency ratio partly by renegotiating contracts with technology providers and controlling legal expenses.
In addition to her executive role, Hale, a native of Pike County, serves as chairwoman of the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority, which approves state tax incentives, during the administrations of four governors. Her two passions are education and economic development.
She serves on the boards of Commonwealth Seed Capital, ARH Foundation and the University of Pikeville. Previously, Hale served as chairman of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the KCTCS Foundation Board and as director of the Cincinnati branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland for six years. A native of Pike County, Ky., Hale is a graduate of the University of Pikeville and the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. She lives in Pikeville and has a son, daughter-in-law and two granddaughters residing in Nashville.
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