341 miles, Buc-ee’s and the Crossroads of Banking Education and Industry

One of the must-attend events of the year for me is the Ole Miss Banking Symposium, held every November on a Friday, adjacent to a home football game. By the numbers, this year’s event drew nearly 400 attendees, 47 of whom were bank CEOS and raised more than $300,000 in sponsorships, which benefits the banking school.

While impressive, the value for students is word-class networking, which included Rebeca Romero Rainey, president and CEO of ICBA; Erica Pilon, Head of Strategy for Jack Henry; and Jill Castilla, CEO of Edmond Bank of Oklahoma (who testified to a House Committee the next week).

It’s 341 miles from my office to Oxford, Mississippi, which provides a lot of “windshield time” to think about clients and the industry. The drive includes one, sometimes two stops at the Leeds, Alabama Buc-ee’s. Thanks to Stan Viner who is on my board and a driving force behind the event, we use the days leading up to the symposium for connecting with people who are interested in making a difference.

“My concern is the naivete among some community banks about the pace of change — and the lack of positioning to adapt,” said Christopher Olsen, managing partner of investment banking firm Olsen Palmer. For the full article from buddy, Paul Davis, see the link below.

“This year's banking symposium was well-timed, with interest rates and game-changing technology front and center in the news,” said Stan Viner, chair of the business school's advisory board.

William Mills Agency has sponsored this event for a number of years, and we are proud of the impact it has for us, students and the banking industry. The ROI is not measured in the number of leads, but rather the education and deeper relationships built with others who value the event.

Here are a few more takes on the event:

thebankslate.substack.com/p/what-community-banking-leaders-really

olemiss.edu/news/2025/11/community-banking-tech-innovation-anchor-ole-miss-symposium/index.html