By Gil Pound 

O n Veterans Day, Usery Forum on Leadership speaker Walter Deriso used two highly decorated military commanders as examples in his talk on principled leadership to an audience of Georgia College students, faculty, staff and community guests. 

America’s 34th President Dwight Eisenhower – a five-star U.S. Army general prior to his time in office – and Army Gen. Colin Powell – former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and secretary of state – were among the names Deriso mentioned as archetypes for leaders who led with integrity and character. 

An Army Reserve veteran, Deriso was tabbed as the second speaker for this year’s Usery Forum on Leadership series at Georgia College & State University. He practiced law for nearly two decades in Albany, Georgia before entering the banking industry. Deriso served as president and CEO of Security Bank & Trust Company (a Synovus Bank) and later as vice chairman of Synovus Financial Corp. from 1997 to 2005. In 2006, he founded Atlantic Capital Bank and led the company until its 2022 merger with SouthState Corporation. 

During his address Tuesday, Deriso said that one mark of a leader is their willingness to step up when presented with opportunities. His own involvement extended outside of his professional career to board chair tenures for the Georgia Bankers Association, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and Georgia Historical Society. Those organizations and entities with “Georgia” at the front of their names demonstrate the reach of Deriso’s influence. 

“Walter Deriso’s career exemplifies the kind of principled, community-centered leadership the Usery Forum aims to highlight,” said Dr. Harold Mock, director of Georgia College Leadership Programs. “His experience in both business and civic life offers important lessons for our students and the broader community about leadership, stewardship and service.” 

Named for Milledgeville native and former U.S. Secretary of Labor W.J. Usery Jr., one unique aspect of the Usery Forum is its presentation-discussion format. Speakers are first given the floor to explain their personal leadership philosophy and how it has shaped their lives. 

Deriso pointed to former President Eisenhower and Secretary of State Powell as the types of leaders he admired. There was a reason his examples were men who held powerful positions in decades past. Deriso said there’s a “lack of civility” in today’s political climate of “hyper partisanship,” neither of which were as prevalent in those days gone by. 

“I’m suggesting that a return to civility and good character among our leaders is what we need in our nation. You are the ones to be those leaders,” Deriso said addressing the students in the audience. 

“If the two parties in Congress had sat down in a room and listened rather than trying to advocate their position, perhaps we wouldn’t have had this government closure. But when I think my position is right, you’re wrong and I won’t listen to you, nothing gets done. So much of the world’s problems can be solved by listening and understanding the other position.” 

Forum opens the floor 

After Deriso’s talk, he sat down with moderators Jimmy Childre Jr., a GCSU Foundation board member and mentor in the Georgia Education Mentorship program, and psychology major Bridget Johnson, one of Georgia College’s two Usery Fellows. The moderators and the audience were able to interact with Deriso and ask questions about his experiences. In his answers he encouraged students to take risks they can afford to take and do their best at what ever their job is at that moment. Doing so would help them reach their goals, enabling them to write their own leadership stories. 

“I truly believe you have just laid the pathway that anyone could follow in becoming a leader … We just received a masterclass,” Childre said near the end of Tuesday’s forum. 

“This is a one-of-a-kind experience,” said Johnson. “I would not be having a conversation with someone so highly respected in Georgia if I went to any other institution. Georgia College has really set every student up for success in giving them access to exceptional people like Mr. Deriso.”

Header Images: Usery Forum speaker Walter Deriso answered questions from the audience as well as moderators Jimmy Childre Jr. and Bridget Johnson. (Photos: Janelle Tyler)

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