Cuba Management Transition

The New York Times Best Selling author, John Maxwell, once said, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”  The Sullivan Bank branch in Cuba, MO is embracing the change that is happening with the retirement of 20-year manager, Pegge Martin. Martin retired on August 31^st, 2022 and has appointed Joshua Groom to the helm. Groom is a long-time Cuba resident that has been with the bank for eight years and is an excellent addition to the Sullivan Bank leadership team. Groom has passion for both family and community which are essential qualities for our branch managers. Groom is married to, Taylor Groom, a Union elementary teacher and they have two beautiful little girls, Laney and Callie.

Groom came to work for Sullivan Bank, as a teller, in February 2014, assisting customers with their day-to-day transactions. In September 2014, he moved into a loan coordinator position; in 2016 he was given lending authority; in 2017 he was promoted to Loan Officer and in 2018 received an additional promotion to Assistant Vice President.  He is a 2010 graduate of Cuba High School, a member and past president of the Cuba Chamber of Commerce and current member of Cuba Development Group and enjoys doing volunteer work in the community.  Presently, he leads the bank employees in preparing bags filled with kid-friendly, nutritious food for local school children through the Friday Backpacks for Cuba program. 

When asked what he most looks forward to in his new position, Groom stated, “I am really looking forward to what the future holds. We have a strong team in Cuba and I genuinely believe we have a great opportunity to grow into an even more successful location. Interacting with customers and helping find them solutions and products that truly help service their financial needs, has been the best part of my career with Sullivan Bank. Now with my new position, my main goal is going to be to build and maintain a team that finds the same joy in helping people find products that work for them. Customer service is our number one priority and strength. Maintaining and improving a positive work environment so that everyone is always ready to take care of our SulliFam, will always be my number one goal as a manager.”

Groom isn’t taking on management without some key people by his side to also make sure that the SulliFam members always experience a step up in service. Michelle Cassidy, has been assisting customers with their accounts at Sullivan Bank for 16 years and has recently been promoted to Loan Officer. Cassidy is a long time Cuba resident and a newlywed to Charles “Nick” Cassidy. Nick teaches carpentry at Rolla Technical Institute and together they have four children, Chase, Kirsten, Lexi and Owen. Cassidy is anxious to start serving her customers in a whole new way!

Ashton Matchell, is also in Groom’s management corner. Matchell is a lifelong resident of Steelville and started working with Sullivan Bank in 2014, and she has now been promoted to Branch Operations Officer. Matchell, who transferred to the Cuba branch in 2017, is now taking on the vast responsibility of managing all of their daily transactions. This is a daunting and tedious role that she took on with a smile! Customer safety and satisfaction is her goal and we are certain she will serve our SulliFam confidently.

If you know any of these Sulli’ns, stop by and congratulate them on their new roles! If you have never been into the Cuba location, new branch manager, Josh Groom has some final words for you, “We are a community and core values-oriented bank that strives to find creative solutions, be transparent and overall create a good working relationship with each of our customers, who we refer to as our SulliFam. Once you step foot into any of our locations, you feel welcomed as we are happy to see you and do whatever we can to best serve you. Our staff is friendly, knowledgeable, efficient and we are confident that we can provide you with a Step Up in Service.”