Christopher Williams is the CEO, Co-Founder and President of the Executive Board of Ventura National Bank & Trust. Chris also serves as the President of Vista Finance, a registered investment advisory firm that functions as a multi-family office for high-net-worth and entrepreneurial clients and their families.
Chris has spent over two decades shaping the landscape of financial services. His inclination to challenge conventions and push boundaries continually motivates Chris to create a more innovative client experience. Ultimately, this has been the driver to form VNBT and better serve private business owners.
Chris’s career is marked by an emphasis on client-centric experience, paired with operational excellence and out-of the-box thinking. A foundation built at Strong Investments, the Private Bank at Bank of America and Southwest Bank (BMO Harris/M&I) ignited his passion for helping entrepreneurs achieve their family and personal goals through optimized access to and use of capital. Chris spent 9 years advancing the Private Wealth Midwest team at The Private Bank (now CIBC) before co-founding his own registered investment advisory firm, Vista Finance LLC in 2021, and Ventura National Bank & Trust in 2024.
With VNBT, Chris is creating a financial institution with tailored solutions that genuinely align with clients’ unique needs and life objectives. His client-first approach prioritizes client’s life goals over typical benchmarks like retirement savings, to structure wealth management plans that enhance overall life fulfillment, and build lasting, multi-generational wealth.
Chris believes that the measure of achievement for VNBT lies in the success and satisfaction of its clients and employees. The bank's culture is based on ownership and empowerment, where each person who touches it, team member or client alike, is valued and encouraged to contribute to collective success.
Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, Chris is proud to contribute his own venture to his hometown. A father of four active kids – Caitlin, Claire, Daniel, and Patrick – Chris can hold his own, whether sunrise hiking or downhill skiing in the mountains, or training under either daughter's fitness instruction. Chris enjoys craft beer, travels locally and abroad, plays hockey and coaches youth teams, and creates strong connections wherever he goes.
