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group of men and women outside Birmingham's Jones Valley Teaching Farm — Oliver Williams (2nd from left) + fellow Regions employees after a volunteer shift at Birmingham’s Jones Valley Teaching Farm. (Oliver Williams / Regions)

Ask Birmingham’s Oliver Williams the secret to his career success, and you’ll get a surprising answer: Volunteerism. For Williams, it’s the work that happens outside of his physical office that has made his team stronger, his work more fulfilling and his thinking sharp and focused.

We got the scoop on how Williams’ volunteer work has connected him better to a community he loves. Read on to see 3 ways Williams feels enriched by his volunteer efforts in the office and out in Birmingham.

Volunteer work supports career growth

2 men volunteering and working on a red bicycle or tricycle in Birmingham — Oliver Williams (left) and a fellow Regions Bank volunteer at Iron City Trykes for children and veterans with adaptive needs. (Oliver Williams / Regions)

Williams has been with Regions Bank for 14 years and currently leads the Technology and Operations Risk Management team out of its Birmingham headquarters. While volunteerism was already an important part of who he is as a person, he found an employer who not only supports that passion, but encourages it by:

Providing a dedicated day off to volunteer: Regions’ “What a Difference a Day Makes” program provides one paid day off to volunteer with a non-profit—great for those who find their off hours full of other commitments.
Connecting managers looking for additional volunteer opportunities: In addition to team opportunities, managers are often connected with more chances to give back throughout the year.
Celebrating volunteer efforts: Frequent employee spotlights happen all year long, but the big celebration takes place every fall with Regions’ annual Evergreen Week, which celebrates associates who go the extra mile for their teams, customers + communities.

“I also volunteer on a civic board and work very closely with a local non-profit that focuses on children’s health—which is particularly important to me.

I spend most of my time with new members, driving orientation and fundraising efforts, assisting with partner agency events and participating in evaluations and site visits with the grants committee.”

_{Oliver Williams, EVP + Head of Technology and Operations Risk Management at Regions Bank in Birmingham}

Volunteer work builds a stronger work team

group of volunteers at Community Food Bank of Alabama wearing bright green shirts Regions Bank Birmingham — Oliver and fellow Regions Bank employees boxed 700 meals worth of food at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama as part of Evergreen Week activities. (Oliver Williams / Regions Bank)

Though Williams has enjoyed more than a decade of work at Regions Bank, he only recently joined his current team. True to his spirit, he immediately organized a team-building volunteer activity. He wanted to lead by example and set the tone.

That’s a smart managerial move that’s resulted in a closely-integrated team with strong connections and better communication, according to Williams. His team now has 3-4 volunteer events per year, including their last food bank event at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, where they boxed about 700 meals in 2 hours, all to be distributed to folks in need around the Birmingham area.

“Volunteering is not only a way to get people engaged, but it’s also a great way to get the whole team together and build relationships and rapport while doing some good in the community. It’s a win-win in my opinion.

And if nothing else, it just helps establish amongst the team a culture of giving back.”

_{Oliver Williams, EVP + Head of Technology and Operations Risk Management at Regions Bank in Birmingham}

Volunteering offers a connection to community

group of men and one woman on the Children's of Alabama rooftop with a red helicopter — Oliver got to join the Monday Morning Quarterback Club‘s orientation at Children’s of Alabama as part of his volunteer work with Regions Bank. (Oliver Williams / Regions)

Like many of his fellow Birmingham residents, Williams cites a familiar list of reasons he loves living and working in Birmingham, including the great culture, awesome restaurants, world-class healthcare and more.

“Birmingham still feels super family-friendly and very accessible. It’s easy to find connection and get involved in the community.”

_{Oliver Williams, EVP + Head of Technology and Operations Risk Management at Regions Bank in Birmingham}

The next time you see something or someone in Birmingham you admire, it might just be that you have Williams or one of his fellow Regions teammates to thank.

During this year’s Evergreen Week alone, over 375 associates have been volunteering in approximately 20 agencies throughout the greater Birmingham area.

In addition to being a caring, service-driven place to work, Regions is connecting its associates to opportunities to give back and make a difference—during Evergreen Week and all year long.

Learn more about the extraordinary volunteer work Regions associates are doing here in Birmingham—and all across Alabama.

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