ADC Board of Directors

Royce Sutton

Senior Vice President CED Central Market Manager, Fifth Third Bank

Royce Sutton has served as Chairman of the Avondale Board of Trustees since 2020. He has been an ADC Board member since 2018.

“My interest in ADC is driven by Avondale’s potential to transform the affordable housing, small business and financial stability initiatives in the neighborhood,” says Sutton. “The neighborhood has experienced some tough times and I like the idea that through ADC and other key stakeholders we can redefine what Avondale can be for families—a chosen place to live work and play.”

Mr. Sutton’s goals for ADC are to ensure it is an operationally sound organization and one that is actively engaged leading projects that Avondale resident’s value most, and to align key stakeholders who will aide ADC in the Avondale transformation process. 

His three words to describe ADC? Necessary. Prepared. Connected.

His three words to describe Avondale? Heritage. Under-resourced. Well-positioned.

And his vision for ADC in five years is to complete all community-driven strategic initiatives and become a model community-based development organization.

Mr. Sutton is an experienced Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) compliance manager with more than 20 years of regulatory and community development business success. He is currently senior vice president, Ohio CED Market Manager for Fifth Third Bank, where he provides leadership and management for CRA compliance function for the Ohio Region. His work includes everything from creating business development strategies and opportunities with community partners to administering the foundation grants program and maintaining outreach with key community, government, business and non-profit leaders.

“The focus of my role at Fifth Third Bank is building communities using economic development tools and partnerships,” says Sutton. “I enjoy seeing underserved communities and families positively impacted by the investments and the assistance that I provide. Whether it’s the family becoming first time homeowners or working with community-based organizations seeking growth and impact strategies.”

Before joining Fifth Third in 2000, Mr. Sutton served as corporate CRA officer at Civitas Bank and executive director of RESPECT, Incorporated in Evansville, Indiana.

Mr. Sutton earned both a Bachelor’s degree in Urban-Regional Studies and Master of Public Administration for Indiana State University. He is also a graduate of the ABA National Community Development Lending School at the University of Oklahoma. He served as an elected councilman for the Vanderburgh County Council and a member of both the Evansville Riverboat Gaming Study Commission and Indiana Civil Rights Commission.

Mr. Sutton’s community involvement has been varied and deep, including the UNCF Advisory Council, St. Louis Regional Unbanked Task Force, United Way of Greater St. Louis, Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church and the YMCA of Southwest Indiana.