C&F Financial Corporation is a holding company for Citizens and Farmers Bank, which opened in January 1927. Nearly a century later, C&F Bank has five subsidiaries that provide an array of financial and investment services, with 31 branches in Central and Eastern Virginia. Director of Retail Banking and President of Wealth Management Matthew Steilberg says that as a community bank, C&F remains proudly independent and is committed to supporting not only those who need banking services, but also the employees who make that happen.
Matthew Steilberg, Director of Retail Banking and President of Wealth Management
What do you believe most contributed to your organization being recognized as a top workplace this year?
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If I were to sum it up, having been here 18 years, it’s consensus of purpose. We have one goal in common: to keep a hundred-year-old bank on its fourth president independent. There are over 600 employees and their families counting on us to be independent. Our neighbors are also counting on us, not only for the services we provide, but also for our work in the community. We share a common purpose.
What steps have you taken to promote employee well-being and prevent burnout?
One thing is the visibility and approachability of senior management. As a leadership team, we know the people doing jobs at the front line, and that makes them feel seen and heard and lets us know what the customers want and what we can do better. My colleagues want autonomy, variety and significance, in that order — allowing them to make decisions, try different things and see the impact of the work they do.
How does being based in the Richmond region influence your workplace culture?
All roads run through Richmond. It’s the epicenter of commonwealth. Richmond is very vibrant, with universities and Fortune 500 companies. It’s also one of the most sought-after housing markets. There’s this intangible element of the metro Richmond region that is the heartbeat of the commonwealth. Planting a flag in Richmond was really important to us. It sends the message that we intend to be a community bank for the commonwealth.
How do you encourage philanthropy and a connection to the Greater Richmond community among your employees?
Philanthropy is not just the right thing to do; it’s good business — a rising tide for the whole community. This is another place where we put it into the hands of employees. It’s called C&F Gives Back. We don’t make decisions from headquarters. We ask employees: Who are you all passionate about? They send in all sorts of nominations and ideas, and we select between six and eight C&F partners. That way we can focus our time, resources and talent and get some lift for those organizations.
