Square Pizza Podcast

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The Square Pizza podcast focuses on the intersection of education, innovation, and diversity. We host and interview leaders doing incredible work around the country to ensure all students have access to an equitable education. The Square Pizza podcast is hosted by SchermCo, a social-impact implementation firm that offers strategic implementation and project management services to schools and education-focused organizations across the country.

In this episode of the Square Pizza Podcast, host Greg Schermbeck sits down with Rod Banks, long-time community development and philanthropy leader, for a candid conversation on leadership, career growth, and the evolving landscape of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Rod reflects on his journey from economic development in Spartanburg to nearly two decades with Wachovia and Wells Fargo, where he has shaped philanthropic investments across housing, small business growth, and financial health. Along the way, he discusses how his calm leadership style—something inherited from his father—has influenced both his personal and professional life, and why open dialogue with nonprofits is critical for long-term community impact.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • Rod’s reflections on family influences, staying grounded, and even his passionate side as a Steelers fan
  • The scale of investments in Charlotte and western North Carolina, with a focus on housing, small businesses, and financial mobility
  • Lessons from partnering with both established organizations like Gardhouse & Freedom Fighting Missionaries
  • Why nonprofit leaders should lean into authenticity and open conversations with funders—even when it means discussing vulnerabilities
  • Insights on the growing conversation around nonprofit mergers and acquisitions, and why sustainability must be central to strategic planning
  • His hope for Charlotte’s CSR ecosystem: continued collaboration among funders to meet community needs with both rigor and trust

This episode is for nonprofit leaders, funders, and anyone invested in community change. Rod’s steady leadership, deep experience, and practical wisdom offer a grounded perspective on how philanthropy can adapt and thrive in uncertain times.