Starting from a modest trailer on Perkins Road, John D’Angelo has transformed a bold vision into a thriving financial institution. In 2006, he launched Investar Bank with just a small team and a commitment to client-centered service. Today, nearly two decades later, the company stands as a publicly traded regional bank with operations spanning the Gulf South, including locations in Houston and Alabama. The latest milestone? A planned acquisition valued at $83.6 million in north Texas, signaling a strategic push into new markets.
In the October installment of Strictly Business, titled Inside a Banking Evolution, D’Angelo reflects on the journey of building Investar through economic downturns, natural disasters, and shifting regulations. He shares insights on what lies ahead for the bank and offers valuable lessons for executive leaders across industries. Key topics include aligning financial strategies with long-term organizational goals, identifying critical economic indicators for 2025, and understanding how evolving trends are transforming both banking and broader business practices.
He also highlights how digital innovation is redefining customer demands and where the industry might head in the coming years. With extensive experience prior to founding Investar—including leadership roles at Aegis Lending Corporation, where he managed lending activities across 46 states and Washington, D.C.—D’Angelo brings deep expertise. His earlier tenure at Hibernia National Bank (now Capital One) included oversight of private client services, small business financing, construction loans, brokerage, and trust operations over more than six years in Baton Rouge.
Tune in at 11 a.m. on October 15 for an open discussion on leadership, growth, and navigating change in today’s dynamic financial environment.
Inside a Banking Evolution is produced by Business Report with support from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and Neighbors Federal Credit Union.
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Investar founder John D’Angelo shares bold expansion insights, economic signals, and enhancing banking relationships on the October episode of Strictly Business
From a single-wide trailer on Perkins Road to ringing the opening bell at Nasdaq, John D’Angelo has built a career on seeing opportunity where others saw risk.
In 2006, he founded Investar Bank with a handful of employees and a vision for customer-focused growth. Nearly two decades later, Investar is a publicly traded regional bank with a Gulf South footprint that includes Houston and Alabama—and now, a pending $83.6 million acquisition in north Texas.
On the October episode of Strictly Business, we sit down with D’Angelo to explore how he built Investar through hurricanes, recessions, and regulatory changes, and what this new chapter in Texas means for the company’s future. The conversation, titled Inside a Banking Evolution, goes beyond Investar’s story to offer takeaways for C-suite leaders on:
How to align banking strategy with long-term business goals
What economic signals executives should be watching in 2025
The trends reshaping banking and business
Where technology is reshaping customer expectations — and what comes next
D’Angelo brings a wealth of perspective to the table. Before launching Investar, he was president and director of Aegis Lending Corporation, overseeing lending operations in 46 states and Washington, D.C. He also managed private banking, small business banking, construction lending, brokerage, and trust at Hibernia National Bank (now Capital One) for more than six years in Baton Rouge.
Join us at 11 a.m. Oct. 15 for a candid conversation about growth, strategy, and leadership in a changing financial landscape.
Inside a Banking Evolution is presented by Business Report with support from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and Neighbors Federal Credit Union.