Deregulation is having a major impact on all aspects of firm behavior in the banking industry. Bankers now find themselves in a more competitive environment which may require different operating rules for firm growth and profitability. To understand the types of adjustments that are taking place in this market, a national survey of 410 commercial bank chief executive officers (CEOs) was conducted and results analyzed. The primary objective of this analysis was to estimate the impact that deregulation has had on the CEO selection criteria within the banking industry. Bank CEOs were divided into groups based on tenure in office to measure the influence of deregulation on the selection process. A key result of this analysis suggests that the most recently selected CEOs view the ability to manage and motivate, and communication skills as relatively more important in their selection in comparison to the most tenured bankers. While change has occurred in the selection criteria,experience in the loan officer position is still considered a major asset for anyone seeking to become a bank CEO.