I began my career at First National more than 14 years ago as a Commercial Mortgage Officer responsible for the administration and servicing of a commercial portfolio. After three years, I moved into Special Projects, Commercial Administration. In this role, I took on more responsibility for coordinating process development and enhancing existing processes within servicing and origination. In 2005, I became a Commercial Mortgage Analyst, where I worked with originators to review and assess transactions. From there, I moved into management and Director roles within commercial mortgages, focusing on maintenance, growth and ongoing origination within my current portfolio.

How I grew:

I was always open to new opportunities. I had a strong desire and drive to learn. That, combined with my organizational skills, adaptability and positive outlook helped me navigate a very exciting and rewarding career path at First National.

Education and experience were also critical to my career growth. Gaining knowledge is certainly important, but so is learning by doing. I really pushed my manager to allow me to sit in on business meetings and take on more difficult transactions. Gaining insight into the inner workings of the company and its processes provided a solid foundation for my ambition.

The support I received:

First National is a culture of positivity. During my 14 years here, I’ve seen the company grow incredibly – and rapidly. I’ve also seen the development and implementation of amazing training programs.

If a program isn’t available internally, employees have full support to pursue external programs or courses. I took advantage of that support, taking accounting, finance and real estate courses. That training and knowledge helped to shape me into the professional that I am today.

My advice and perspective:

It’s so important to be open-minded. With an open mind, you can create so many possibilities for yourself – especially at a company like First National, which really encourages employees to recognize and achieve their potential. If you want to succeed, you’ll have the opportunities within the company to do so.

What I love most about my 14-year (and counting) career at First National is that I have never had the same day twice. I enjoy coming to the office. It’s a fun environment with great, inspiring people. First National is an incredibly vibrant company and working hard and playing hard are integral parts of the culture here.