Internship Ignites Meyer’s Passion for Banking
Jaime Meyer got her first taste of banking during a college internship. After graduating from Northwestern College in Orange City with a degree in business administration, she worked for a college financial aid department before moving to Colorado. While looking for work, she felt a desire to come back to the banking industry. “It has been a great fit for my skill set and now I have been able to build my career in banking over the past 15 years,” she said.
Today, Meyer is vice president, mortgage manager at Iowa State Bank in Orange City, where she has worked for the past 11 years. She oversees all the bank’s mortgage functions, including the mortgage lenders and centralized processing department.
What drove you to choose a career in banking?
I did my internship in college at a local community bank and really enjoyed working with customers and the variety that comes in banking. After a few years working in the college financial aid department, I moved to Colorado and while looking for jobs, I found myself wanting to go back into the banking industry. It has been a great fit for my skill set and now I have been able to build my career in banking over the past 15 years.
What is one lesson working in the banking industry has taught you, and how do you apply it to your everyday life?
How important relationships are. Having open communication builds trust and that is a key to long-term relationships. This is true in community banking but also how to foster relationships with people we interact with daily in our lives. It can be with other parents, family members, our friends, those we go to church with and those we work with.
What is your best elevator pitch for why banking is a great career?
Banking gives you the opportunity to meet people, help them navigate some of the biggest financial decisions they will make, and gives you a variety of areas to work in and grow in your career.
How does getting involved with the Iowa Bankers Association help you and your bank?
The IBA offers classes, events and resources that support me in my role and the bank overall. They do a great job of doing what they can to help us succeed as community bankers. I have been able to meet new people, learn new skills and grow in my banking knowledge through their courses over the years.
When you’re not at work, what do you like to do most?
I enjoy spending time with my husband and our four kids along with our extended family. I enjoy hosting people for meals, being outdoors, going to sporting events and, when I can find the time, reading.
What is a quote or guiding principle you live by?
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
— Colossians 3:23