After thoughtful consideration by the membership committee and the Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the selection of two (2) new members to the organization. The new members are: Frank Cianciola, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Banc3 Holdings, Inc. and Executive Chairman of the Board of Bank3 and Randy Stepherson, President of Stepherson Inc., Superlo Foods.
A very special thanks to, Duncan Williams, Membership Committee Chair, the Committee Members- David Andrews, Mike Bruns, Ron Coleman, Bill Courtney, Carolyn Hardy, Edith Kelly Green, Mary McDonald and Susan Stephenson, and the members of the Board of Directors for all of their hard work in the selection process.
Please mark your calendar now for the 30th Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet which will be held on Saturday, April 9, 2022 at the Holiday Inn at the University of Memphis.
Francis “Frank” Cianciola
Banc3 Holdings, Inc.
Frank J. Cianciola serves as Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Banc3 Holdings, Inc. He began his financial services career at Union Planters in 1973 and from 1984-1992 he held a variety of executive positions with Commerce Union Bank (C&S Sovran). From 1992-1995, Cianciola served as CFO of The Memphis Group, Inc., a $60 million aerospace company. In 1995, he became CEO of Victory Bank and Trust, followed by his role as Founder, CEO and Chairman of Renasant Bank. Frank served on the publicly held Renasant (RNST) Bank’s Board from 2004 – 2009. Most recently, he served as Chairman and Vice Chairman of Metropolitan Bank.
Cianciola holds a Master of Science degree in Finance from The University of Memphis. He is a graduate of The Graduate School of International Banking (University of Virginia), The Graduate School of Commercial Lending (University of Oklahoma) and The Effective Executive Program (The Wharton School). Frank Cianciola has been Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Economics at the U. of Memphis.
Cianciola is a past President of the Economic Club of Memphis; Regent at the Barrett School of Banking; served on the Leadership Council for Youth Villages and was the 2015 Chairperson for the Signature Chefs Annual fundraiser for the March of Dimes. Frank Cianciola is also involved with the Wolf River Conservancy, Church of the Holy Apostles and is a graduate of Leadership Memphis.
Randy Stepherson
Stepherson’s/Superlo
Stepherson, Inc. was founded by the Stepherson brothers (Jack, Wesley, and Kenneth) in 1944. Randy Stepherson and his brother-in-law, Bob Reed, started working in the Macon Road store in the mid-70s, and in 1978, bought the shares of Jack and Wesley Stepherson. Then they bought out Kenneth Stepherson, Randy’s father, in 1998. They currently operate eight Superlo Foods locations and one Stepherson’s location.
The chain started with the Macon Road store (the one that inspired the name for the band Big Star) and the East Memphis location on Spottswood. They began the expansion of the Superlo Foods concept in 2000 when they purchased the former Mega Market location on Covington Pike and reopened as Superlo Foods #2. They expanded to North Memphis in 2002 when they purchased a former Piggly Wiggly location at 3327 North Watkins, reopening this location as Superlo Foods #3. The next expansion was to the Hickory Hill community. In August of 2009, they re-opened a former Kroger location at Kirby and Winchester. In order to better serve the growing number of locations, they moved into a warehouse and central office facility on American Way in the summer of 2011. Superlo expanded to Mississippi in February, 2012 opening in a former Schnuck’s location on Goodman Road in Southaven, MS. In October of 2014, they continued their growth in Memphis with Superlo Foods #6 by purchasing a long time neighbor, Cooper’s neighborhood store on Quince Road. November 1, 2017 brought Superlo Foods #7 to 3071 S. Perkins Rd. Finally, in December of 2019, Superlo Foods #8 at 2269 Lamar Ave was opened to serve the communities in and around Orange Mound.
In October of 2010, Stepherson, Inc. became an Employee Owned Corporation with the formation of an Employee Stock Ownership Program giving all employees the opportunity to become part owners of the business.
Randy Stepherson is the past Chairman of the Tennessee Grocers & Convenience Store Association (TGCSA), serves on the Board of the Memphis Police Foundation and is active with the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club.
