James Gilbert

Interview

What made you join KeyBank? What makes you stay?

I’ve been in the credit business for most of my career and I worked for a few large companies and banks prior to joining Key. I was impressed with Key’s focus on their employees. I also liked the focus on diversity and the development opportunities Key would afford me. The best part of my job is the people I work with. We have a great team.

Key does a lot for its employees – you aren’t just a number. They listen to employees and aim to make constant improvements based on feedback. Recently I attended an employee appreciation event. All of our executives were there and Beth Mooney was high fiving us as we came in. It was really cool. You don’t always see that at most companies. They get it – without employees a company doesn’t function. Key leadership takes the time to let you know they understand that. This creates loyalty on both sides. I enjoy coming work every day.

What do you enjoy about the work you do?

I’m a competitive person. As an MLO, if you work hard and do the right thing, it will be reflected in your numbers and in your paycheck. I’m very goal oriented and I like the challenge of consistently hitting the mark.

Tell me about your relationship with your manager…

She’s a Mortgage superstar. She used to be an MLO and she gets it. She’ll fight for us and will help us get a deal done. She’s fully committed to our team and inspires me to want to perform every day.