Banking on It
This Seminole State alumnus and banker believes that investing in yourself – and your education – will yield high dividends
As a child on summer breaks, Larry Campbell always adored playing with Lego sets. Not for the bright colors or the creativity involved, but because he loved the process of building something up slowly and standing back to see the finished product. That sentiment has stayed true throughout Larry’s life, especially when it comes to his career.
Today, Larry holds the title of Senior Vice President, Orlando City Executive at Crews Bank & Trust. Yet he vividly remembers the first days of his professional journey – graduating from Lake Mary High School and taking classes at Seminole State College (then Seminole Community College) in 1991. Larry was inspired by his older sister, who was the first member of his family to pursue a college degree, and he was determined to do the same.
“I wanted to go to college and be part of that first generation,” says Larry. “I knew I was going to go to Seminole Community College, because it felt like a good fit for me, and it was accommodating to my schedule of working full time.”
Wind Beneath His Wings
At Seminole State, Larry found the flexibility to balance a budding career in banking while working toward an associate’s degree. He earned that degree in 2001, 10 years after taking his first class. Despite the extended time frame, he stayed committed and kept building himself, his career, and his family. It was his wife, Elizabeth, whom Larry credits with getting him to graduation day.
“She’s probably the single biggest inspiration for me,” he says. “She accepted me no matter what and really helped me focus and get across the finish line with my degree. If it wasn’t for her, I don’t know if I would have checked all the boxes.”
Larry then went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Liberty University’s online school in 2018.
“Seminole State looks very different than it did when I went there, but at its core, it’s exactly the same.” – Larry Campbell
When it comes to banking, many customers expect their banker to open accounts, deposit their money, and manage their finances with little interaction – but Larry has the opposite philosophy. He values serving his clients as a community member first, connecting with the people he meets, listening to their stories, and finding the best solutions possible for them. When handling a client’s finances, Larry knows he is often meeting them at either the highest or lowest point of their lives, and it’s his job to make at least one part of their situation a bit simpler.
“Even early in my career, I always wanted to be the local banker,” says Larry. “To be able to interact with people every day, whether it’s my coworkers or with clients, that’s the fuel that keeps me loving what I do.”
Some Things Never Change
Even 25 years after graduating from Seminole State, Larry finds himself on campus often. He has been a member of the Foundation for Seminole State College since 2015, served as chair of the Alumni Association, and was part of the search committee that hired Seminole State’s current president, Georgia Lorenz. He also recently won a Distinguished Alumni Award because of his outstanding contributions to the school and community. Larry still sees the same connection, assistance, and joy he experienced firsthand as a student being funneled into the next generation.
Just as Larry spent years gradually building his career to the successful one it is today, he takes pride in being a mentor to others at the starting points of their own journeys.
“Seminole State looks very different than it did when I went there, but at its core, it’s exactly the same,” says Larry. “It’s about people who are passionate and committed to helping you succeed and the starting point for so many people to get themselves closer to any goal they have.”