Bill Carr strives to help others, whether it is through providing financial loans as a banker or helping businesses grow as a member of the Williamsburg Economic Development Authority.
Carr is the peninsula market president of Village Bank and Trust Financial Corp., which recently opened its first branch in the area in New Town. A grand opening ceremony was held November 16 for the new bank.
“I am thrilled to be associated with such a quality financial institution as Village Bank,” Carr said. Village Bank was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Richmond.
Carr, who was born and raised in Portsmouth, began his banking career with Wachovia in 1982 in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience with commercial banking, including real estate finance. Carr also worked for SunTrust Bank and Virginia Company Bank, and assisted with the startup of the Peninsula division of Monarch Bank in 2013.
“I’ve learned a lot from other people through banking through the years,” he said. “I’ve learned so much from my clients. I feel very fortunate.”
Carr has also been a member of Williamsburg’s Board of Zoning Appeals and the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club. He’s also active with Hospice House and Support Care of Williamsburg and Bruton Parish Church as well as the Virginia Living Museum and Peninsula Fine Arts Center in Newport News.
“I get my sense of serving from my dad,” he said. “My dad, my uncles, and my grandfathers were always active in trying to help people out, and I’ve carried that with me throughout my entire life, trying to be a good citizen. I’ve always enjoyed giving back to the community. It is just something I really like to do.”
Carr retired a few years ago, but was lured back into the business by Bill Foster, chief executive officer of Village Bank.
“Bill Carr is an excellent businessperson and banker, and it would be hard to find anyone who knows their way around Williamsburg any better than he does,” Foster said. “The civic and business leaders I have met in the community have reinforced my confidence in him. We want our commercial bankers to have real world business experience outside of banking so that they can understand what it is like to sit on the client’s side of the desk. We want to be problem solvers and business builders, not just bankers. Bill has had very active business dealings outside of banking, so he gets it.”
Joining Carr at Village Bank is Michael D. Maddocks, who will serve as Senior Vice President. Village Bank will also have an Advisory Board with Channing M. Hall III serving as chairman.
“We are trying to make a difference and be what true community banking is supposed to be,” said Carr. “Not only do we want to help people with their financial needs but we want to help in other ways as well. For me, it is not just about making loans but also about helping others in the community.”
Carr has been actively serving the Williamsburg area and beyond for years. As a member of the EDA and The Greater Williamsburg Partnership, Carr has assisted in bringing in several new businesses and developments into the area, including High Street and the upcoming Broad Street Realty renovation at Williamsburg Shopping Center.
“Our purpose is to promote and generate new businesses in town while also supporting existing businesses in town,” he said. “We want to attract new people to the city.”
