October 2025
Washington, MO – Bank of Washington Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer L. B. Eckelkamp, Jr. has recently announced the addition of Ajla Zigic as VP, Business Development Officer. With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Zigic brings a dynamic blend of leadership, innovation, and community-focused banking to her new role.
Zigic began her career in banking as a teller out of high school and has since built a diverse portfolio of experience spanning retail management, operations, project management, commercial banking, and private banking. Her passion lies in providing access to capital and financial services to underserved demographics, including nonprofits, startups, and low-to-moderate income communities. She is equally driven by a deep commitment to commercial and business banking, where she sees opportunity to collaborate with businesses of all sizes to scale up, create jobs, and empower business owners to drive local economic growth.
In her new role, Zigic will serve as a catalyst for growth, both for Bank of Washington and the region it serves. “I act as a bridge, understanding the goals and needs of our neighbors and connecting them with a bank that is genuinely invested in our community,” she said. “Ultimately, my goal is to ensure the bank's success is directly tied to the success and vitality of the communities we serve.”
Zigic is a graduate of Bayless High School and Patricia Stevens College. Her professional excellence has been recognized with honors such as the 2024 St. Louis Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and 2020 Small Business Monthly’s Best Banker in St. Louis.
Her commitment to community is equally impressive. Zigic serves on the board of The Foundation for Barnes Jewish Hospital and contributes to the Strategic Planning and Gala Committee for The International Institute of St. Louis. She is a former Woman of Wish and current Wish Granter and Walk Team Captain for Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas, a returning Team Captain for the Fight for Air Climb benefiting the American Lung Association, and a competition judge for Arch Grants.
Zigic resides in St. Louis City and is deeply passionate about aligning her personal mission with that of Bank of Washington. “I really love being a part of an institution where the corporate mission and my personal mission are one and the same: to Do Good,” she said. “We are a true partner to our community and we are invested in its future, and I get to be a part of that every day. This team is going to do amazing things for our region!”
The Bank of Washington was established in 1877 and is rooted in serving the community. Its mission is to do good – by prioritizing employees, customers, community, and relationships. The Bank is tied to the communities it serves, providing personalized, relationship-based banking services. The Bank’s focus is to keep local communities vibrant and growing and the investments that the Bank of Washington makes in the local community and surrounding area ranks it as one of the largest commercial lenders in the St. Louis area. The Bank of Washington is consistently voted the No. 1 bank and mortgage lender in the Washington Missourian Readers’ Choice Awards and consistently selected by the St. Louis Small Business Monthly readers as one of the Best Banks in St. Louis and Best in Customer Service in St. Louis.