40 Under 40: Nathan Cox, bank vice president

Nathan L. Cox

AGE: 31

FAMILY: Wife Heather, son Aden.

EMPLOYER: US Bank, N.A.

POSITION: Vice president/agricultural and commercial lender

COMMUNITY AND PROFESSIONAL INVOLVEMENT: Member of Concordia Lutheran Church since 1980 and treasurer in 2007 and 2008; member of Sikeston Jaycees since 2005; awarded Outstanding Brownfield Award for 2006; treasurer for Sikeston Jaycees in 2007 and comptroller for Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo and the PBR event; assistant coach for Sikeston Jaycee Little League Football; involved in Jaycees Car Show, Golf Tournament, Christmas Basket Campaign and Haunted House; member of Sikeston Rotary Club since 2005 and served as Scholarship Chairman in 2006-08; involved in Rotary Auction and Rotary Chili Day; organized and started first Sikeston Young Professionals group with Sikeston Chamber of Commerce in 2007; has bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and is pursuing MBA from William Woods University.

HIS TYPICAL DAY:

There is no such thing as a typical day in banking. One day I might work on past due loans, the next day I may go out on a call for new business, the next day I may stay in the office all day answering e-mails and phone messages, and the next day I may be out on a farm performing crop inspections. Most days I will have 40-plus emails and several dozen phone calls. I talk to a different CPA, attorney, appraiser or title company nearly every day to gather necessary information for my loans. No loan is ever the same and each loan has its own unique challenges. I can tell you my workday starts well before 9 a.m. and ends well after 4 p.m.

MOST SATISFYING PART OF HIS WORK:

The most satisfying thing for me is the fact that I actually have work to do right now. Many banks are struggling to make loans right now and as of the day of this interview, I have my plate overloaded with 12-plus loans in my pipeline totaling about $6 million.

HIS WORST HAIRCUT:

The worst haircut I ever received was in 1999 when my wife and I were living and working in Yellowstone National Park for the summer. We were the typical "poor" college students and being the conservative natured person that I am, I allowed my wife to give me a haircut. I thought it looked pretty good until a 4-year-old boy asked me what was wrong with my hair. My wife has not cut my hair since!

HIS FAVORITE SONG FROM THE '80s:

"Devil Went Down to Georgia"

HIS BIGGEST FIRST-DAY BLOOPER:

One of my former bosses asked me if I knew a guy from my hometown and I told him, "Not really, he is way older than me." My former boss said, "We went to high school together; we're the same age." I obviously made him feel old.

HIS MOST EMBARASSING WORK MOMENT:

When I was in college I helped open the new Best Buy store in Knoxville. I squatted to pick up a heavy box and split my pants so bad I had to go home and change clothes.