Carroll Pierce was born January 3, 1921, the son of G. Cleve Pierce and Georgia B. Carroll Pierce. Carroll grew up in Opp and attended the Opp City Schools. He is a graduate of Marion Military Institute, LSU School of Banking and holds many Certificates, Awards, and Recognitions for his banking accomplishments.
On December 9, 1939, Carroll and Eloise Mathews were married and they have four children: Caroline Etheridge, Louise Harper, Rebecca McLeod and George Pierce.
Carroll began his banking career in 1938 with The First National Bank of Opp, working in all areas of the bank. Bank records in 1938 show total assets of $1.2 million and there were nine employees. From 1942 to 1945 Carroll served with the Army Transport Service. In 1945 he returned to FNB where wartime deposits had swelled the bank to $5 million. In those years following World War 11, Carroll’s progressive and aggressive banking philosophy really began to formulate and grow. While other bankers remained rooted in “Depression Economics” business mode, Carroll was moving his bank and his community forward. Carroll demonstrated a real talent for sizing up the prospects for a new idea, and he knew his community and its people. As a result, his community grew, and his bank grew. In 1946 Carroll was elected Assistant Cashier, in 1948 Vice President and Cashier and in 1955 he was elected to the Board of Directors. In 1964 he became President and in 1971, Chairman of the Board. Evidence of Carroll’s progressive banking philosophy is shown in the following examples. In 1957 FNB became the first bank in this area to offer installment loans. During the ’60’s FNB was first to convert its accounting systems to full accrual basis, in 1968 FNB was the first in this area to offer its customers the Visa-MasterCard credit cards, in 1968 the first bank to convert the bookkeeping operation to computer, in 1975 FNB offered its customers the first “24 Hour Teller Machine”, and in 1978 the first on-premises computer operation outside the major metropolitan cities. In 1966 Carroll led the organization of The Bank of Kinston. However, since legislation did not yet allow bank holding companies to own banks across county lines, this bank was sold in 1971. FNB was not the first holding company in this area, but it was the first locally owned. In 1979 Carroll formed First National Bancorp of the South, a bank holding company organized to hold all the stock of FNB Opp and The Bank of Florala. In 1982 a consumer loan office was opened in Florala under the name of Finance South. In 1984 the First National Bank of Andalusia opened, giving FNB coverage over the entire county. Despite FNB’s tremendous progress, by 1985 Carroll recognized that for the bank and community to grow and develop as it should, there was a need to align the bank with a major statewide bank. Thus in 1985 First National Bancorp was merged into SouthTrust. SouthTrust was chosen because of its strong community involvement. With that transition complete, Carroll retired from banking at the end of 1986. The bank’s total assets at year-end ’86 were $148 million and 86 employees–strong growth by any measure.
Carroll was always abreast of changes in the banking industry, and he involved himself and those who worked for him in maintaining the competitive edge. His bank and his people were widely recognized as a bank that does more for people. Carroll was always quick to step forward to lend his support and the support of his bank for those activities that benefited the community. Among his many areas of active participation were: United Fund, Historical Society, Opp Library Association, City Board of Education, County Board of Education, LBW Founder’s Club and Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, Opp Civitan Club, South Central Mental Health, Opp Country Club, Boy Scouts, Mizell Memorial Hospital, Opp Rescue Squad, and several banking organizations. Carroll is a Mason, Shriner, and Jester.
Carroll joined the First Methodist Church in 1930 and has been active in his service there. He has served in many capacities and has been President of the Men’s Bible Class for several years. He was especially instrumental in organizing the Daily Devotion time at the beginning of each day for his bank employees.
Carroll Pierce is one of the builders of Opp. He was able to help a great many people, and he did so in a magnanimous fashion. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
