Succession Without Shortcuts: Lessons from Starion Bank’s President Search

Succession planning is one of the most important decisions a bank will ever make. In this episode, Starion Bank CEO Craig Larson and President Dave Rogstad join Brian Love, Head of Banking & Fintech at Travillian, to share the real story behind Starion’s leadership transition.

What began as a national executive search revealed that the bank’s next president had been developing internally all along. The conversation explores leadership humility, cultural alignment, internal talent development, and why confidence without self-awareness can derail succession decisions.

If you care about bank leadership, executive succession planning, and long-term culture, this episode offers a rare, honest look inside a real transition.

Timestamps

00:16 Why succession planning carries more weight than any other decision
01:44 A leadership shift that forced a strategic reset
03:58 A leader who was not trying to be one yet
05:21 Why the external search was about perspective, not replacement
06:06 Defining culture before defining candidates
08:28 When external strength met internal growth
09:34 The quiet doubt that often comes with growth
10:22 Learning the bank one layer at a time
12:15 Why culture became the deciding factor
14:57 Leadership and the bank’s business evolution
16:16 When humility becomes a strength
17:15 The transition from peer to leader
19:01 Succession as a long term commitment
21:22 When external talent strengthens internal identity
23:45 Why succession planning never truly ends
25:48 Building the next decade one decision at a time
27:31 The vision of a super community bank
29:57 A story that was always about people