Truist Begins Leadership Transition As Longtime Exec Kelly King Retires

Kelly King, a major corporate figure in the Triad for years as CEO of BB&T bank, has officially retired. 

King has had a nearly 50-year career in banking, serving as chairman and chief executive of BB&T for more than a decade. For much of his executive career, the company was headquartered in Winston-Salem. 

BB&T became Truist Financial Corp. after it purchased SunTrust Banks and moved its corporate headquarters to Charlotte in 2019. For the last two years, King has held the same positions at Truist as he did at BB&T.

The company says his retirement has been long in the works and a leadership transition plan is in place. Truist's current president and chief operating officer, William Rogers Jr., will take over as CEO.

King will stay on as executive chairman of the board of directors for the next six months.