Hoosier Banker 9 PHOTO CAPTION: Annette Russell joined Security Federal Savings Bank, Logansport, in 1991. represented by women in business. My predecessor was a visionary and recognized the value that women could bring to leadership roles in our industry. “I also felt that my age would be a challenge, coming in to the CEO role at age 38. I quickly found out that I wasn’t unique from that standpoint. Generational differences in values and work ethic also give rise to diversity in the workplace. “In my experience, positions are filled based on the best candidate for the job. While it’s true that women now hold more executive-level positions than in the past, I feel it’s more a matter of choosing the best candidate. Diversity, whether it be gender, age, values or skill, can benefit the IBA on many levels.” What are your goals this year for the IBA? “First and foremost is to support Amber in her new role. The executive committee worked hard last year to make the transition from Joe to Amber* go as smoothly as possible for the IBA staff and members. We support the staff development initiative that Amber initiated and want to ensure that her team is aligned with the vision for the IBA. “At the board strategic planning meeting in the fall of 2013, the board and IBA leadership established four priorities. One of those priorities, ‘proactively assisting in building the next generation of bank leaders,’ ranks as my second primary goal. “One of our industry’s challenges is retaining and attracting millennials. This
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTg3NDExNQ==