Hiring is always a difficult decision. You have to trust that the new hire will not only get the job done, but also make a positive impact within your organization.
For Steve Keenan, finding that match is very satisfying.
“I love hiring a new employee who you know is going to be a good fit,” he says.
Hiring and managing employees at INB has certainly been a good fit for Steve. And because of his dedication to management within INB’s commercial lending department, Steve was recently promoted to Illinois Market President.
Expanding in New Markets Then and Now
Steve, NMLS # 762808, joined INB in June 2011 as a commercial lender and quickly grew his responsibilities.
“A lot of changes were happening for INB at that time,” he says. “I was brought in to help grow the commercial loan portfolio, and we did just that. We expanded into the Bloomington and Champaign markets in the first couple of years and now are prevalent in St. Louis.”
Steve has managed Peoria, Bloomington and Champaign commercial markets for the last five years and will now be responsible for the whole of Illinois as INB continues to explore moving into potential new markets.
Learn about INB career opportunities.
Working More Closely with Springfield Lenders
“The main change for me will be adding the Springfield lenders to my arsenal,” he says. “We have a good mix of junior and senior lenders in Springfield - some of whom I directly hired.”
Steve points to the culture of INB when asked about his successful career. From the teller line to the board room, INB staff collaborate to work toward the same organizational goals. INB leaders foster autonomy and leadership development in each employee.
When it comes to naming his favorite part of each day, there’s no hesitation from Steve: the people he gets to interact with and build connections with.
“The relationships that have been made over the past 11 years are pretty special,” he says. “Not only my INB coworkers, but the customer relationships as well. Many of these relationships go well beyond the 8:00-5:00 schedule.”
Finding Family Time, no Matter the Work Schedule
Steve also has a full family life that extends beyond 8:00-5:00. His evenings and weekends are usually spent at the gym or ballpark, supporting his kids in their athletic pursuits.
“I’ve had kids in multiple competitive sports for over 21 years and spent many of those as a coach,” Steve shares. “I say every spring that I would love to play more golf, and hopefully soon that will be reality since my youngest will be 16 this year and my wife and I will be empty-nesters soon. We would also like to travel more once the weekend tournaments are all over - any beach will suffice!”
In the meantime, Steve is looking forward to the exciting changes and additional responsibilities his new role at INB will bring.
Congratulations to Steve on his promotion!