Aggie Tuxhorn Podcast Transcript
Aggie Tuxhorn joins host Brian Thomas on The Digital Executive Podcast.
Welcome to Coruzant Technologies, home of The Digital Executive Podcast.
Brian Thomas: Welcome to The Digital Executive. Today’s guest is Aggie Tuxhorn. Aggie Tuxhorn is a driven marketing professional based in Wichita, Kansas, with over 11 years of dedicated experience in the banking industry. As the current Senior Vice President, Chief Growth Officer for Citizens Bank of Edmond, she has honed her expertise in strategic marketing, customer relations, and employee engagement.
Prior to joining Citizens, Aggie led the strategic marketing initiatives for Enterprise Bank for almost five years, and her notable accomplishments included brand refresh, execution of a new website, market expansion, implementation of marketing automation, and campaigns to profitably grow the business well.
Good afternoon, Aggie. Welcome to the show!
Aggie Tuxhorn: Thank you for having me!
Brian Thomas: Absolutely appreciate you jumping on, and I know we’re in the same time zone. So that’s really cool. A lot of times I traverse the globe and I’m up real early in the morning or up late at night doing these, but it’s always fun to get to meet somebody new.
So, I appreciate that. And Aggie, we’re going to jump right into your first question. After a decade, over a decade, actually of experience in the banking industry, what inspired your move to Citizens Bank of Edmond as the senior vice president, chief growth officer. And how has your background influenced your approach in this role?
Aggie Tuxhorn: So, interesting story last year in October, I was in New York City for the American banker gala, where teammates and I from in price bank, we’re getting awarded with the most powerful women and banking top team award. And I was attending at an honoree breakfast session 1 morning and. Jill to see a CEO and president of citizens bank of Edmond ended up sitting at my table.
And I had known of her and followed her on social media for quite some time, admired her from afar. So was such a pleasure to finally meet her face to face. And during our conversation at the table, I ended up asking her for some career advice, not because I was actively looking or intending to leave where I was at, but simply because I respected her and her own career journey from what I was you know, reading on social media over the years.
And she ended up giving me some really helpful feedback that would help me grow in my career and we maintained contact and fast forward a few months. She offered me the opportunity to join her leadership team. I mean, it really was a lot of careful consideration and discussion for the family, because I hadn’t again intended to leave much less.
Move out of state and so, but ultimately, I did decide to say yes, because it felt like it would be such an immense learning and growth opportunity. But in regard to your question about how has my background influenced my approach. I think having both a credit union and banking background has helped me to bring ideas to the table that they might not have thought of otherwise.
And also coming from a larger organization where I recently had to a smaller 1, it allows me to wear more hats and make a greater impact. Then I think I would have stayed within a larger company. I can bring those fresh ideas and have them be welcomed and embrace and I don’t get the this is how we’ve always done it type of answer.
Instead. I feel very much heard, valued and appreciated. Not only when making recommendations, but changes to policies and procedures. But also, when I might insert myself in areas where maybe historically marketing hasn’t been involved.
Brian Thomas: Thank you. And again, appreciate the story leading up to the big change.
And it’s funny how those things happen, right? A lot of times life just happens and but I really like it. And, and just, you got to embrace that sometimes at the time you may not think it’s the best thing for you, but it ends up being the best thing and it opens other doors. So, I appreciate, again, the backstory, Aggie.
And Aggie, jumping into the next question, expanding market presence is a complex challenge for any institution. What strategies have you found most effective in identifying and capitalizing on new market opportunities?
Aggie Tuxhorn: You have to really understand who your target audience is and how you differentiate yourself from the competition and what’s in it for the customer to really understand the why.
Why would a customer choose your bank over another one? What are you offering that they aren’t? What channels is your target audience engaged in? How are they making their buying decisions? What influences those buying decisions? And especially if you’re going into a market where there might not be a physical presence, you have to go into it with eyes wide open in terms of how much marketing it can take just to build some brand awareness before you’ll get to the active conversion stage.
Especially, and you can scroll on your phone right now. It happens to me all the time and you’ll see a handful of digital ads trying to get you to choose them. So, you have to really think about strategically and integrated marketing approach, hitting them on several channels. They always say it can take a plus interactions before someone is ready to convert.
So, make sure you’re using channels that take the prospects down that marketing funnel from awareness to consideration to conversion. And you can’t just do one digital ad and expect the floodgates to open. I always say it’s not like the movie field of dreams. You know, it’s not the situation of if you build it, they will come.
You have to be really consistent and patient with your marketing efforts.
Brian Thomas: Thank you. I appreciate that. And I know you, like you said, the field of dreams to people that they will come. It doesn’t work that way. And, you know, that too well, but I appreciate you highlighting, you know, that awareness and consideration.
And then obviously that conversion. I think that’s awesome that you’re sharing some of those nuggets with our audience this evening. So, Aggie, your focus on strategic marketing, how have you leveraged technology to enhance the growth and visibility of Citizens Bank of Edmond, especially considering the competitive banking landscape?
Aggie Tuxhorn: So, it’s an interesting question, and I wouldn’t even say it’s a new technology for us at this moment for Citizens Bank of Edmond and Jill Kosia, President and CEO. But social media has made a profound impact on the brand’s visibility. She was actually one of the first bankers to be actively engaged on Twitter and knew early on that social media was going to be a way to shape the story of who Citizens Bank of Edmond is and what we stand for.
And she’s also incredibly open and transparent. She shares her cell number on her social posts and during her speaking engagements. So, for me, as a new person coming in, it wasn’t necessarily to change that strategy, but to enhance and support that strategy to find ways to say yes to additional speaking engagements to share what she and the bank are doing to support local businesses and the community.
And really to help facilitate, whether it’s award nominations or all the very many PR opportunities that she gets presented with. She was recently invited to Bloomberg live to be in their studios to represent citizens. And so it’s. Helping to present and facilitate and coordinate those opportunities.
And leveraging existing technology, in this case, social media. To enhance and increase the brand reach.
Brian Thomas: That’s awesome. And I appreciate you recognizing the fact that she’d already kind of got on that path of being out on social media and just being bold and doing some great things. On her own, and then you came in and again, like you mentioned, enhancing some of the strategies that she was already employing.
So, I appreciate the share and Aggie last question of the evening. Looking ahead. What are some of the projects or initiatives you are most excited about implementing at citizens Bank of Edmond? And how do you envision these efforts driving the bank’s growth in coming years?
Aggie Tuxhorn: So, since the most recent innovation was the launch of Roger, it’s a digital bank for the military community.
Roger’s mission is to mobilize financial resources to build the strongest financial foundation and future wealth for every newly enlisted military member. And Jill Castillo being a veteran herself and a spouse of a retired army officer, a mom of two active service members in the Army and Navy. She really felt passionate that this was something that she was led to do to provide something to the military community.
Additionally, 20 percent of our team has served in the armed forces or is currently serving. So, it’s really been a joy to be able to come in and be focused on that. So, the project I’m most excited about is working on a marketing plan to help bring awareness of this new digital bank to the military community and be at the forefront of growing a new brand.
And in such a short period of time, I’ve learned so much about the military community, who I admire and respect so much. So, it’s just been an immense joy to be part of this team and be part of something that aligns with citizens. Motto of do good do well.
Brian Thomas: I like that and, you know, we focus a lot on communities that could use some extra support and I’m there with you on the whole.
Roll out of Roger. I think that’s just amazing. And, and Jill’s obviously doing some great stuff as a leader, as well as you are in it. So, I appreciate you highlighting that for our veterans and Aggie. It was such a pleasure having you on today. And I look forward to speaking with you real soon.
Aggie Tuxhorn: Thank you for having me.
Brian Thomas: Bye for now.
Aggie Tuxhorn Podcast Transcript. Listen to the audio on the guest’s podcast page.
