Tony Gavin was recently promoted to assistant vice president, commercial lending at INB. Tony joined the bank in 2007 as a teller; he moved to our commercial banking team as a credit analyst in 2008. He has been a commercial lender since 2014.
Tony says he first became interested in banking thanks to friends in the industry. He’d been working in Quincy and had moved back to the Springfield area. On finding a job at INB he says, “I thought banking might be something I’d enjoy and, as I looked around, INB looked like a place where I could start at any level and work my way up.”
And he was right. From his days in our retail operations, he learned how customers want to be treated and how INB expects employees to treat customers.
As a credit analyst, Tony learned that if you’re not making sound business decisions, no one wins. “As a commercial lender, it’s easy to say, ‘Grow. Grow. Grow.’ But when you look at a transaction through the financials, you have the information to make the right decisions . . . A credit analyst’s write-up provides that documentation to the lenders.”
Time Management
As INB has grown, so have the challenges in commercial lending. “It’s a good problem, but we’ve really grown over the past few years,” Tony explains. “Taking care of existing and new customers is my biggest challenge. We always strive to provide good, timely service, so I need to make sure that happens.” Tony adds that all the work is worthwhile when he sees a business succeed. “Whether it’s a new business owner or helping out a property manager who is looking to grow an investment portfolio, when you see someone you’ve worked with succeed, that’s a good day.”
When Tony isn’t on the job you’ll probably find him in a gym with Rochester’s varsity basketball team or on the baseball field with his own kids. He coaches both sports.
“Working with the kids teaches a lot of patience,” he says. “But it’s neat to see both the younger and older players and thinking, ‘This is how my kids will grow and mature.’ I get a preview of where they’re going.” With his coaching commitments, Tony says time management is probably his biggest challenge. “I have lots of busy nights, that’s for sure.” But, he says, sports remind him that with hard work, you’ll find success. And that’s a good mantra on and off the court.
A Little Background
Tony grew up in Monmouth but moved to Rochester when he was 16. After graduating from Rochester High School in 2001, he joined the basketball team at Culver Stockton College.
At Culver Stockton, he majored in business administration with a minor in communication – and he also met his wife Beth, who was on the school’s volleyball team.
Tony’s NMLS # is 1277974.