KANSAS CITY, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kansas native Talena Hooper has returned to lead the Wells Fargo Regional Commercial Banking office in Kansas City, which is where she got her start in banking. Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) named Hooper the new regional vice president of its Kansas Commercial Banking operations 15 years after she joined the bank as an administrative assistant. Since then, Hooper has steadily advanced, earning numerous awards and promotions along the way.
In her new role, Hooper leads a team of finance professionals in Wells Fargo’s Kansas City and Wichita Commercial Banking offices, which provide local service and decision-making for middle-market businesses with annual revenues of greater than $20 million. Wells Fargo is No. 1 in new lead banking relationships with middle-market companies nationwide.
“Talena’s story is inspirational, and her enthusiasm is contagious,” said Monica Cole, Southern Region division manager for Wells Fargo Commercial Banking. “She is a tenacious and accomplished banker who understands the complex needs of Kansas middle-market companies.”
Hooper admits a long-term finance career was not on her mind when she answered a newspaper want ad more than a decade ago. At the time, she was a mechanical engineer major at Kansas State University. Raised in Lawrence, 20 minutes outside of Kansas City, Hooper comes from a long line of factory workers. She saw the “glamourous” banking job as a way to help pay her way through college. However, Hooper quickly fell in love with the finance industry and the challenges and triumphs that come with helping local, family-owned, privately held businesses reach their financial goals.
“Kansas has a diverse range of midsize companies that keep the local economy afloat,” Hooper said. “As a native of this state, I get a thrill out of helping businesses that power our local economy invest in their companies, hire employees, and grow.”
Hooper has held many commercial banking roles, including relationship assistant and financial analyst. Her achievements in those roles earned her an opportunity in Wells Fargo’s Credit Management Training Program, after which she joined the Regional Commercial Banking Office as a relationship manager. Most recently, Hooper has served as a highly successful business development officer for the Southern Region, earning numerous awards and accolades. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Friends University in Lenexa, KS, and also studied mechanical engineering at University of Kansas.
About Wells Fargo Commercial Banking
With more than 140 offices in 38 states and three Canadian provinces, Wells Fargo Commercial Banking provides local service and decision-making for businesses with annual revenues of greater than $20 million. Asset-based lending, traditional secured loans, and capital markets provide access to working capital for day-to-day operations and growth. Expertise and services are available to specialty industries, including life sciences, technology, food and agribusiness, healthcare, government, higher education, clean technology, and environmental services. Wells Fargo has the highest market share of middle-market company relationships in the U.S., according to the 2013 TNS Commercial Banking Momentum Monitor. Winner of the 2015 TNS Choice Awards, Wells Fargo is the No. 1 preferred bank by companies in the U.S. with annual sales of $50 million to $2 billion.
About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through 8,700 locations, 12,800 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs and Wells Fargo Stories.
