Born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, Cade Junkin grew deep roots to his homeland.
Not on a farm or family business but to the area.
So much so, he knew he wanted to go to college, get a degree and come back home to help folks.
After attending Mississippi State University and procuring his accounting degree, Junkin had garnered enough knowledge to know he didn’t want to be a full-time accountant but something working with numbers and people. That’s when he found himself a job at Indianola’s Community Bank back in 2019.
“I was always a big numbers guy and I like seeing things work together – debits and credits wise. They make up the pieces of a puzzle,” Junkin said. “I really didn’t like accounting that much so I didn’t try to get my CPA. I ended up lending money at Community Bank and I took that opportunity and I love it.”
He first began as a management trainee and is now a loan officer working in each and every type of loan available through the bank.
“I do all loans, consumer, commercial, farm loans – I do them all,” Junkin said.
Even though COVID-19 changed the way folks do business – lobbies were closed and in-person appointments were made while most bank transactions were done through the drive-thru.
When the federal government made PPP (Paycheck Protection Program) loans available for businesses, Junkin headed up the program for Community Bank and started helping many businesses of all kinds and sizes across the Delta.
“I headed the program for the Indianola branch to help area businesses,” Junkin said. “It started off slow but once word-of-mouth got out about the government-backed-loan that was 100 percent forgivable, businesses signed up. A lot of people ended up needing the money, especially small businesses to keep their doors open and pay employees and keep living life.”
He noted the second round of PPP loans were just as popular but with fewer overall loans. Now that state restrictions have been lifted, Junkin is happy to see things get back to some kind of normal.
“We still have to wear a mask for safety but we’ve opened up the lobby. Some people are still leery about coming in. I think when the PPP loans finish up in May, everything will get back to normal,” he said. “We’re now focused on getting out and helping folks get loans and start deposit accounts.”
Junkin notes that there is no base plan to fit all customers into.
“We really take time to accommodate every customer. We treat everybody differently and individually, based on what they need,” he said.
While at State, Junkin was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity and enjoys hunting and fishing when he’s not making loans.
“I’m just your basic hunter,” he said. “I’m just starting to play golf but I wouldn’t call what I do a talent (laughing.)”
He also recently joined the Rotary Club and enjoys promoting the Delta to anyone and everyone.
“I’m from Indianola and I came back to the area after college. I like being part of Rotary and being part of the community. I want to help make the Delta a place where folks want to come here. That starts with shopping local, banking local and everything that goes with that.”
Helping make the Delta, Sunflower County and Indianola a more attractive place to live, work and play, Community Bank’s Cade Junkin.
