Banking on Leadership - Rick Smith

In this episode of You Go First, Lain Hensley sits down with longtime friend Rick Smith, President and CEO of Tri Counties Bank, for a conversation about leadership, resilience, culture, and what it takes to guide an organization through decades of change. Rick shares the unlikely path that led him to the top of Tri Counties Bank and reflects on more than 25 years in the CEO seat — from navigating Y2K and the uncertainty surrounding 9/11 to leading through recessions, COVID, and some of the most challenging moments in the bank’s history. Along the way, he shares stories from inside those defining moments and the leadership lessons that only come from experiencing them firsthand. The conversation arrives at another pivotal moment, as Tri Counties Bank prepares for its recently announced merger with First Hawaiian Bank — a major new chapter for an organization that has spent more than 50 years building relationships throughout California. Rick also reflects on the journey from leading a community bank in Chico to ringing the Nasdaq Opening Bell in Times Square, and what that milestone represented for the thousands of people who helped build the company along the way. For Lain, this one is personal. He and Rick go back years, Lain is a longtime Tri Counties Bank customer, and Odyssey Teams has played a role in helping the organization strengthen its leadership and culture. Together, they explore why culture can’t simply be declared from the top, how leaders build trust over time, and why the human side of business matters most when the stakes are highest. It’s a candid conversation between two longtime friends about surviving the moments you never see coming, building something that lasts, and leading people confidently into whatever comes next.