Susan Ralston - EXECUTIVE COACH
Meet Susan Ralston: Executive Coach, Leadership Consultant, and Strategic Business Partner
Susan Ralston is a highly respected executive coach and strategic consultant with over 38 years of leadership experience in the financial services industry. Known for driving transformation and building high-performing teams, Susan partners with executives and organizations to achieve measurable, sustainable results.
A Trusted Executive Coach for Senior Leaders
With more than 22 years as a CEO, Susan understands the complexities and pressures that today’s leaders face. As an executive coach, she works with senior executives, board members, and high-potential leaders to develop actionable strategies that strengthen leadership, improve decision-making, and deliver bottom-line results. Her coaching approach emphasizes:
- Meaningful conversations that align teams on shared goals
- Clear, results-driven action plans
- Long-term strategies for organizational transformation
Proven Leadership and Business Transformation Expertise
Susan currently serves as the Chief Operations Officer at Tower Federal Credit Union ($4.7B), where she oversees strategic operations and organizational growth. Her distinguished career includes serving as COO/EVP at Old Point National Bank ($1.5B) COO/SVP Dollar Bank ($11B) and as President and CEO of Bank @lantec, where she successfully transformed the institution from a federal credit union into a federal mutual savings bank, later leading its merger with Dollar Bank in 2016.
These experiences highlight Susan’s expertise in:
- Business transformation and mergers
- Organizational leadership and culture building
- Financial services growth strategies
Education, Credentials, and Professional Excellence
Susan holds an MBA from Old Dominion University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Washington & Jefferson College. She is a graduate of the ABA Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Georgetown University and earned her Professional Coaching Certification (PC) from Duquesne University. She is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coach Federation (ICF), reflecting her commitment to professional coaching excellence. She is also a Certified Behavorial Consultant using DISC, Thinking Styles (TEAMS), Values (LEPJ) and Behavorial Attitudes Index or BAI (I-SPEAK).
Passion for Impact Beyond Business
In addition to her career achievements, Susan is a recognized advocate for childhood cancer awareness. After her son’s successful battle with Ewing sarcoma, she founded the Pediatric Proton Foundation, helping families nationwide gain access to life-saving proton therapy. Her research has been published in the International Particle Therapy Journal, further solidifying her thought leadership in this space.
She has also contributed to 14 nonprofit boards, demonstrating her commitment to community service and social impact.
Awards and Recognition
Susan’s leadership has been recognized through numerous awards, including:
- 2023 Women in Leadership Award – Virginia Business Magazine
- 2022 Chairman’s Award – Old Point National Bank
- 2018 Cleveland Waltersdorf Award for Innovative Leadership – Washington & Jefferson College
- Named one of Outstanding Women in Business by Inside Business Magazine
Personal Life
Originally from Washington, PA, Susan now resides in Virginia Beach with her husband, Jim, and their son, Jacob, a marine biology student at Coastal Carolina University. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys golfing, kayaking, biking, and cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
