Zions Bancorporation announced that it has promoted Michael Morris to serve as executive vice president and corporate chief credit officer. He will be responsible for overseeing the credit risk function — including the credit approval process, portfolio stress testing, credit risk modeling and credit policy. He will also be part of the Executive Management Committee, and will report to the company's chief risk officer, Edward Schreiber.
"Michael is a very strong administrator and has run an incredibly clean portfolio," commented Harris H. Simmons, chairman and chief executive officer of Zions Bancorporation. Mr. Simmons continued: "During Michael's tenure, the portfolio under his supervision experienced a loan charge-off rate that was approximately 50% better than the industry's level." Zions' chief risk officer Edward Schreiber commented: "Michael brings extensive lending experience and managerial oversight to this key role and will be able to make a significant contribution to this critical area of the company's operations from the moment he starts his new role. He not only adds depth to the credit risk function but also brings additional overall expertise to the enterprise risk management program. "
Morris has been serving as executive vice president of Zions Bank's Real Estate Division since 2009; he also was managing director and group head of Real Estate Capital Markets for Zions Bancorporation.
During his banking tenure he has had various management and oversight responsibilities, including REIT finance, loan syndications, workouts and restructured credits, and real estate owned sales. He has originated and managed more than $5.5 billion in real estate credit and investment exposure, with funds provided to middle-market and institutional developers and investors, under secured and unsecured borrowing arrangements.
Prior to joining Zions in 2007, Morris managed the Real Estate and Investment Group for JP Morgan Real Estate and Banc One's Real Estate Investment Corporation; additionally, he managed senior debt operations as an executive vice president for Banc One Corporation. He also served as a senior vice president with First Interstate Bank of California in Los Angeles, where he managed the Southern California Real Estate Banking Group, among other duties, from 1988 to 1995.
He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Utah and attended Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University in California.