Inside: - Media Communication Group

EXECUTIVE PROFILEGetting to Know LynneHerndon – City President of BBVA CompassIN OUR LAST ISSUE WE PROFILED BENITO ALMANZA, ARIZONAPRESIDENT, BANK OF AMERICA. WE HAD SUCH A FAVORABLERESPONSE THAT WE DECIDED WE WOULD CONTINUE THETREND AND SHOWCASE THE LIFESTYLES OF OTHER ARIZONAbanking personalities.In March, our board Chairman, Lynne Herndon, CityPresident of BBVA Compass, sat down with Theresa Kleinleinfor an impromptu interview. Read below and see if heranswers surprise you as much as they did us!How would you describe your responsibilities with BBVACompass?As Phoenix City President for BBVA Compass since 2008,I oversee the business lending activities in Phoenix for commerciallending and commercial real estate lending includingtreasury management and deposits. Total loans outstandingunder management are $950MM.What are some of the things you find most enjoyable aboutyour career?Banking allows me to use the skills that I enjoy most. I genuinelyenjoy sitting with a commercial client, understanding thecompany’s business needs and crafting a value added proposal toassist the company in reaching its goals. Being a trusted partneris very rewarding.What are some of the things you find most challengingabout your career?Being a banker during this most recent economic crisis waschallenging. It called upon many leadership skills such as beinga motivator, fair negotiator, risk manager, advocate and multitasker.Now that we have come through the crisis, the bankingenvironment is once again very competitive. Balancing salesand risk management will be critical to bank’s maintaininghealthy capital positions.What do you see as the biggest challenges for the bankingindustry today?Bankers are working every day to regain trust and credibilityfrom our clients and prospects. We are also workingto balance the regulatory requirements and associated costswith our ability to offer products and services that our clientsneed in all markets, small and large. Banks are in business tomake loans but also need to make loans with acceptable risk.Through communication and networking in our communities,I am confident that we will be able to assure our clients andprospects of the banks’ strong commitments to doing businessin our communities.How has your bank’s membership in the Arizona BankersAssociation benefited your bank?Membership in AZBA has afforded me the chance to meetbankers from all over Arizona and work together on issuesaffecting all banks in Arizona and in some cases across thecountry. Having a CEO as talented as Paul Hickman and avery dedicated staff working to keep us all current on issues affectingour industry is a huge benefit to all our member banks.Favorites:MusicI attend about 20 concerts a year with my husband Lang.We are Rock n, Roll fans, 80s preferably, and travel to see ourfavorite bands including Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, ACDC, JimmyBuffet, Def Leperd, Foreigner, Styx and the Rolling Stones.HobbiesBorn in the state of Alabama, by far my favorite hobby iscollege football, and to be more specific SEC football and TheUniversity of Alabama football. ROLL TIDE!Thanks, Lynne…and Rock On! Please Welcome Theresa KleinleinPlease welcome the Arizona Bankers Association’s new Director of Member Services, Theresa Kleinlein. Upongraduating from The University of Texas in Austin, Theresa began her career at Dell Computer Corporation. Whenshe wasn’t watching the DOW she managed the Shell Oil global account and worked alongside Michael Dell inCorporate Communications to promote the Dell brand internationally. She moved on to Chicago where she advisedthe largest PR firms and public companies (Baxter, Abbott, United Airlines, etc…) as a Media and Crisis ManagementConsultant for PR Newswire (UBM:London Stock Exchange). Theresa moved to Arizona to improve her golf game andnow has two daughters, 5 and 8 years old. She is a yoga instructor in her spare time and is thrilled to be part of the AzBA team! 26 www.azbankers.org