Kimberly Lebron is the senior vice president/chief credit officer of Thomaston Savings Bank. LeBron began her banking career at Connecticut National Bank in 1991 as a loan administration assistant, following six years of service in the United States Army.
She has held numerous positions in the lending field over the past 32 years ranging from commercial closer, credit analyst, commercial lender, workout specialist, loan operations manager and chief loan officer.
In her current position as chief credit officer, she leads a team of 68 employees in three departments – residential lending, special assets and commercial credit. Lebron is also a board member of Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury and Shepard Meadows Equestrian Center.
What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far?
My biggest accomplishments include establishing and fully implementing new loan operations and commercial credit departments at two local community banks. I’ve been instrumental in strategically growing them to keep pace with the ever-changing landscape of the banking industry.
Another accomplishment was quick and decisive implementation of the CARES Act during the coronavirus pandemic. I was able to successfully guide my teams through the transition to a work-from-home environment while handling a record number of residential loan originations and the processing and closing of 1,903 Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $195 million.
What’s the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally?
My next big goal is to mentor my managers in a manner that will put them in a position to have similar opportunities as I have had and to ultimately achieve a similar level of professional accomplishments.
Any successful management position is only as good as the people supporting it. My objective is to instill this value in the three women I am extremely fortunate to have reporting to me and who work tirelessly without complaint.
What’s one of the biggest professional challenges you’ve overcome?
In banking, the sales teams and originators tend to be the ones who receive the accolades and recognition for production and loan growth. However, the back-office personnel and support teams are also an integral part of the process.
They are responsible for getting the deals underwritten, closed and serviced but who, for the most part, go unrecognized. A role that I take very seriously is to provide a voice to those teams and individuals.
What do you like to do outside of work?
My quest to experience life to its fullest has taken many forms from trying new things, such as rappelling down a waterfall to visiting exotic places such as volunteering at an elephant park in Chang Mai, Thailand. I never like to do the same thing or visit the same place twice.
I am also a serious amateur photographer with a dream of someday being an expatriate with my own artist studio.