Herschell Hamilton and Bernard Mays Join HOPE Boards of Directors

Experienced executive leaders add depth to HOPE governance

May 12, 2021

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Today, HOPE announced the appointment of Herschell Hamilton and Bernard Mays to the boards of the Hope Enterprise Corporation and Hope Credit Union (HOPE), respectively. Both Alabama natives, Hamilton and Mays bring deeply rooted community and business expertise to HOPE’s governance.

“Responding to this moment of historical need and opportunity requires strong, dedicated leadership.  As HOPE works to expand and deepen our impact across the Deep South, Herschell Hamilton and Bernard Mays add crucial intellectual and social capital to this critically important work,” said HOPE CEO Bill Bynum. “I look forward to working with each of them to create opportunity among underserved people and places in Alabama and throughout the Deep South.”

Hamilton is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of BLOC Global Group, a commercial real estate services firm. Currently overseeing client engagements, business development, and the strategic direction of the company, the firm has offices in Birmingham, AL, and Washington, D.C. Prior to starting BLOC, he was Vice President of New Market Ventures for the private equity firm, MRG, and co-founded and served as Chief Operating Officer of a web-based new media/technology company. He also spent a decade as an investment banker with Raymond James Financial and Porter White and Company. 

“I am excited to be of service to such a progressive financial services institution positioned at the forefront of community lending, wealth building, and people-centered policies,” said Hamilton. “HOPE stepped up to lead individual, small business, and community lending throughout the rural south as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the nation, affirming its role as a vital lender and supporter of the economies in cities across its service territory. I look forward to serving as a member of the board and lending my perspective to HOPE’s mission, corporate strategy, and policy.”

Hamilton also serves as the Chairman of BLOC Real Estate Ventures and on the Board of Directors for venture investment platform Bronze Valley, Inc., and the Ballard House Project, Inc., among others. He recently completed two terms as a Board Member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Birmingham Branch.

Mays is Assistant Vice President and Controller for Financial Affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). A Certified Public Accountant, he previously worked at Ernst & Young and several publicly traded companies in the energy and retail industries. He also brings substantial expertise from his service on several nonprofit and civic boards, including Camp Fire Central Alabama, Children’s Village, and Homewood Commercial Development Authority.

“I look forward to joining the board of Hope Credit Union to be able to support the organization in its mission of expanding economic opportunity in the Deep South,” said Mays. “As a Birmingham native, I am extremely passionate about the success of our community, and I look forward to helping HOPE grow its offerings and deepen its impact in the region.”