Business View Magazine | October 2020

109 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2020 PR IME MER IDI AN BANK “CEOs are usually very close to the vest about what they are doing,” Dixon adds. “My philosophy is: if you share with the team and clearly express your vision and direction, then they can execute much better. Our mindset is to think of a few good reasons why it can be done. Is it right by the client? Is it right by the Bank? Is it legally, morally, ethically correct? If the answers are ‘yes,’ then there’s really nothing we can’t do. If the answer is ‘no’ then we back up to see what is needed to make this work.” Dixon admits, “In banking there are always some things you can’t do. What matters to clients is that we take that individual approach. We do not sell products, we grow relationships. That is the way we got the Bank started and that is one of our keys to success.” In December 2013, Prime Meridian Bank became a public company. With assets of $602 million as of June 30, 2020, Dixon has aspirations to grow to a multi-billion-dollar bank. And, he says, “we’re its holding company, Prime Meridian Holding Company. The Bank is one of the fastest growing of any in Leon County, its home and headquarters since it was founded. Dixon was instrumental in the formation of Prime Meridian Bank which opened its doors February 4, 2008 – an interesting time to start a Bank given the financial crisis of the time. The premise for starting the Bank: Dixon’s belief that a new community bank with the proper culture could succeed in Tallahassee by offering a different brand of banking. Dixon explains, “The Bank was established solely through the lens of our culture and a one-word question: ‘Why?’ From the start, any member of the team can ask why and we will always do our best to answer them. If we cannot answer the question, there may be an opportunity for us to improve or change. We believe in transparency and we promote direct communication rather than an org chart filled with silos.”