Women to Watch: The Leading Ladies of First Bank

Pictured from Left: Kate Liosis, director of IT Support Services; Becky Steffa, director of consumer processing; Kathleen Greenburg, director of application and mainframe servicing; Jessica Anson, director of contact center. Photo by Scott Colby

Women to Watch: FirstBank

This article is part of a special advertising section on Colorado's women in business. Women in Colorado are making an impact in every industry, enterprise and workplace role imaginable. They are CEOs, startup founders, strategists and irreplaceable employees who not only are instrumental in their own organization’s success; through their daily actions and achievements, they set a precedent of possibilities for the next generation of women in business to build upon. Each article profiles the person behind the business and organization that a Colorado woman has helped build or nurture.

FirstBank, Colorado’s largest locally owned bank and one of the nation’s largest privately held banks, is demonstrating how it’s “banking for good,” not only to its customers and communities, but its employees.

The company is a major advocate for equality and inclusion, and has found that gender diversity – especially at the management level – enhances performance, results in higher job satisfaction and less turnover. More than half the bank’s management roles (from manager to C-Level Executive) are occupied by women, and the bank boasts more female directors in its support services departments than it has in previous years.

“The more women in leadership roles, the stronger the organization; I can say we’re experiencing that firsthand.”
– Jim Reuter, CEO, FirstBank

Pictured from left: Daisy Perez, director of consumer originations; Brianna Wabiszczewicz, director of data architecture; Karen Cleaver, director of payments innovation; Tricia DeFord, director of fraud prevention. Photo by Scott Colby.

FirstBank closed out another consecutive year of record earnings, and continues to experience high employee satisfaction and retention rates, leading to an eighth-time nod of the Denver Post’s “Top Workplace” recognition. It also was named a “Best Bank to Work For” by American Banker, a “Most Admired Company” by Arizona Business Magazine, and recently took home the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce “Champions of Change” award, which recognizes organizations driving women and minorities forward.

The bank provides countless career growth resources to its entire workforce, including tuition reimbursement and a promote-from-within philosophy. FirstBank even introduced a hands-on “Elevate Leadership” program available to everyone, from frontline employees to executives, believing that leadership is achievable from any position. And its Women In Technology (WIT) platform helps develop and mentor female employees, while encouraging advancement in technology-related careers. Today, 36 percent of FirstBank’s technology roles are held by women, nearly doubling the national average.

(This sponsored content was provided by FirstBank.)