The University of West Georgia’s Richards College of Business will host a speaker next month whose vast experience in the financial industry will offer unique insight and wisdom to those in attendance.

The event – the latest installment in the Richards College of Business BB&T Lectures in Free Enterprise series – will take place at the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts Tuesday, March 10, at 6 p.m.

Tickets are free but required and will be available beginning March 3 at the Townsend Center box office.

The series, designed to generate a dialogue about the ethical foundation of capitalism and free enterprise, is the result of a partnership between the Richards College of Business and the BB&T Foundation.

The speaker, Kelly King, is chairman and chief executive officer of Truist Financial Corporation, the nation’s premier financial services company serving approximately 10 million households. King has a rich history and unparalleled background in banking and finance.  

Dr. Faye McIntyre, dean of the Richards College of Business and Sewell Chair of Private Enterprise, said the value of King’s lecture will be tremendous.  

“We are thrilled to have Mr. King as our speaker for this installment of the BB&T Lectures in Free Enterprise,” said McIntyre. “His experience in the banking world is immense, and his knowledge and insight will impact our students in a positive and inspiring way.”

King’s career began in 1972 when he joined the Management Development Program of Truist’s predecessor, BB&T. His work at BB&T included leadership roles in commercial and retail banking, operations, insurance, corporate financial services, investment services, and capital markets.

King served as chief operating officer of BB&T Corporation and Branch Banking & Trust Company from June 2004 to December 2008 and president of BB&T Corporation from 1996 to June 2004. He was named president and chief executive officer of BB&T Corporation and chairman and chief executive officer of Branch Banking & Trust Company in January 2009 and became chairman of BB&T in January 2010.

In December 2019, King became chairman and chief executive officer of Truist Financial Corporation, created through the merger of equals between BB&T Corporation and SunTrust Banks Inc.

King served on the Federal Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve System from 2013 to 2016, and he served as the council’s president in 2016. He also served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond from 2009-12.

A native of North Carolina, King earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s in business administration from East Carolina University. He is a graduate of the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University.

UWG’s Richards College of Business sponsors the BB&T Lectures in Free Enterprise series during the spring and fall semesters each year. Past speakers include: Benjamin Raymond, founder and CEO of Raymond Insurance Group; Christa Pitts, co-CEO of Creatively Classic Activities and Books LLC; and Dr. Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of “The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength.”