Hancock Whitney is a regional bank that operates primarily in the Southern United States, with headquarters in Gulfport, Mississippi and New Orleans, Louisiana. The bank has over $35 billion in assets and provides a full range of banking, investment and wealth management services to retail, small business and corporate customers across the Gulf South region.
In recent years, Hancock Whitney has expanded its footprint through acquisitions and investments. Key focus areas for the bank include growing its investment services capabilities and enhancing digital platforms for customers. The bank aims to leverage its strong regional presence and community banking approach to gain market share across its Southern footprint.
Hancock Whitney Has a Long History and Regional Roots
Hancock Whitney was formed in 2011 from the merger of two Southern banks – Hancock Bank of Mississippi and Whitney Bank of Louisiana. Hancock Bank was founded in 1899 and Whitney Bank dates back to 1883, so both institutions have deep roots in their local communities.
The combined bank operates under the Hancock Whitney brand and maintains headquarters in both Gulfport and New Orleans. This gives the bank a presence in most major Southern metro markets while preserving its community banking culture and local decision making.
Hancock Whitney Offers a Broad Range of Banking, Investment and Wealth Services
As a full-service regional bank, Hancock Whitney provides retail, business and corporate banking services such as checking/savings accounts, lending, credit cards, online/mobile banking and more. The bank also has a sizable investment services and wealth management division.
Specific capabilities include brokerage services, retirement planning, trusts, estate planning, investment management and insurance products. The bank has over 300 investment and wealth advisors located across its branch network.
For corporate clients, Hancock Whitney offers services like treasury management, institutional investments, corporate trust, equipment finance, international services and more. The bank has commercial lending experts focused on real estate, healthcare, energy and other industries.
Recent Expansion Has Extended Hancock Whitney’s Reach
Over the past several years, Hancock Whitney has been expanding along the Gulf Coast through acquisitions and organic growth. Key moves include:
– Acquiring MidSouth Bank in 2022 to expand into Louisiana and Texas markets. MidSouth had around $1.2 billion in assets.
– Acquiring BOH Holdings in 2021 to establish a presence in Orlando, Naples and Sarasota, Florida. BOH Holdings had $7.6 billion in assets.
– Opening a new Houston Region headquarters in 2021 as part of statewide expansion in Texas.
– Rolling out a new national expansion plan in 2019 focused on large metro markets across the Southern U.S.
This expansion has extended Hancock Whitney’s reach across the Gulf South and positioned it take greater advantage of the region’s growth.
Digital Innovation is a Priority for Hancock Whitney
Like most regional banks, Hancock Whitney is investing heavily in its digital capabilities to better serve tech-savvy customers and operate more efficiently.
Recent digital initiatives include:
– Enhancing its online and mobile platforms for improved user experience.
– Launching digital account opening and lending applications to facilitate remote/online banking.
– Introducing Zelle person-to-person payments and other payment/money movement capabilities.
– Rolling out analytics and AI-powered tools to give employees more real-time customer insights.
– Partnering with financial technology firms to integrate digital solutions into its operations.
The bank also offers extensive online investor education resources and tools to support its investment services growth.
Community Banking Approach Remains Central to Hancock Whitney’s Strategy
Even as it has grown into a sizable regional bank, Hancock Whitney continues to emphasize its community banking model and relationship-based approach to business. The bank has retained local executives in leadership roles across its Southern markets to ensure decision making remains close to the customer.
Hancock Whitney also continues to highlight its longstanding commitment to the communities it serves through volunteerism, charity work and financial education programs. The bank’s annual golf fundraising tournament has generated over $35 million for nonprofit organizations.
This community focus allows Hancock Whitney to combine the convenience and capabilities of a large bank with the personalized service and local expertise of a community bank.
In summary, Hancock Whitney is a leading regional bank across the U.S. Gulf South with over $35 billion in assets. The bank provides a full range of retail, small business and corporate financial services including extensive investment and wealth management offerings. Recent expansion efforts combined with a community banking strategy and investments in digital innovation position Hancock Whitney for continued growth across its Southern footprint.