Kirby Reardon

"Banking is an ever-changing field that allows you to help your community in a variety of ways."

NBA Leadership Class
​West Gate Bank, Lincoln

Title: AVP Commercial Lending

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In your own words, describe what your role is at the bank:
My job title is a commercial lender, but my role is to help businesses grow and be successful by providing a variety of loan products, services and financial expertise. Sometimes it may not be a good fit for various reasons, but I will always try to help businesses get the help they need for long-term success.

How did you get into banking?
As a sophomore in college, I was unsure what I wanted to do with my life, but knew I wanted to do something related to finance and helping people, so I applied as a teller at West Gate Bank on South St. in Lincoln in 2011. When I graduated from UNL in 2013, I was hired as a credit analyst and became a commercial lender in the summer of 2016.

What does effective leadership look like to you?
An effective leader is someone who uses clear communication to convey expectations and actively adjust based on feedback. They also need to motivate and inspire those around them to become better.

Why is banking a great career?
Banking is an ever-changing field that allows you to help your community in a variety of ways. My parents owned a small business growing up and I see banking as a great way to help businesses grow, which in turn helps the community grow.

Share your favorite book, podcast or quote. Why is it your favorite?
"Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence." - Vince Lombardi. I like this quote because we will all make mistakes along the way, but we must continue to learn from our mistakes and strive for perfection.