2023 STL February Monthly Meeting

Orvin Kimbrough serves as the Chairman and CEO of Midwest BankCentre, where he helps to empower people, enable businesses and energize neighborhoods through the strength of the Bank’s financial services.  Midwest BankCentre is St. Louis’ 2nd largest privately owned local bank, with over $2.3 billion in assets and $1.8 billion in loans. Under Orv’s leadership, Midwest BankCentre creates the conditions that allow everyone to DREAM BIG and RISE TOGETHER.

Prior to joining Midwest BankCentre, Orv spent nearly 20 years in leadership roles in prominent nonprofit agencies, most recently as the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater St. Louis. During his tenure as CEO, the United Way of St. Louis grew to the nation’s largest affiliate, raising nearly $80 million annually.  Orv started with United Way in 2007 as vice president of major gifts.  Orv is unlike any other bank CEO in the nation. From humble beginnings, he became an inspiring leader who has boosted the life trajectory of tens of thousands of people through his work in the nonprofit sector, while becoming the first and only African American to lead one of the 100+ mainstream banks in the St. Louis region.  After being born to a single mother in East St. Louis, Illinois, Orv grew up in an
abusive household and then foster care at Annie Malone Children’s and Family Services and Emergency Children’s Home (ECHO) in North St. Louis City. He is a product of the St. Louis Public Schools, graduating from Gateway Tech in 1994 with probationary acceptance to the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC). He went on to earn bachelor and master degrees in social work from UMC, an MBA from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and a master of theology degree from the Aquinas Institute of Theology. Orv has more than beaten the odds.

Orv is an adjunct instructor at Washington University in St. Louis teaching effective team leadership. He serves on the board of Washington University’s Olin Business School – Bauer Leadership Center, Executive Board National Center for Location Science, Core Leadership Committee-Great Rivers Greenway (Brickline Project), ABA (American Bankers Association) Community Bankers Council, United Way of America, Core & Main and Nusource Financial. Orv has been married for more than 20 years and has a daughter and son in college.