Dana White
SVP Operations, Compliance and Information Systems
AB&T, Albany
Chair, 2021-2022 GBA Operations and Technology Committee
Q: What led you to a career in banking?
A: My mom was a commercial teller at Barnett Bank of Tampa, which at the time was a local community bank. I used to go to the bank all the time growing up, and they would host all kinds of events in our community. I was good at math, so when I started college, I applied for a peak time teller position at the same bank and worked about 20 hours a week around my college schedule. After about a year, I figured out that banking was my passion. I really enjoyed helping clients, creating relationships and working on solutions to help others. Over time, I worked my way up from a teller to the position I hold today. I feel that having a good understanding of all of the different positions/areas in banking really helps me create solutions for our clients and associates.
Q: What was the most useful piece of advice you received from a mentor or in the early/formative years of your career?
A: Believe in yourself, even on the hardest of days, because a bad day doesn’t define you as a person and you’ll learn the most valuable lessons from the worst mistakes.
Q: Top Three…
- TV show or series you love? I watch a lot of the History Channel. I live with boys so it’s normally a channel we can all agree on. I like watching History’s Mysteries or any of the ‘That Built America’ mini-series. I’m a firm believer that we must learn from our history or else we’re doomed to repeat it.
- Pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve as a banker is when friends ask me why banks “charge them fees to use their own money.” I get that they’re not bankers and take for granted the debit cards we give them to be able to use their money anytime anywhere, the app on their phone where they can keep track of purchases and get alerted to suspicious activity on their account, and services that allow them to transfer funds or pay bills online without having to write a check or pay for stamps. We provide so many services to help customers manage their money, plus we’re always available to help, so we offer them a value for sure!
- First tap/click of the day? I have to admit it’s my work email. I get tons of alerts on our network and our systems, so I always check first thing to see what kind of day it’s going to be and whether I need to pull out my laptop to solve any issues before heading into the office. It allows me to get a jumpstart on my day.
Q: When you’re not on the job at the bank, what do you like to do?
A: I love spending time with my family and friends. I have a son in high school and grandchildren in elementary school, so there is always a practice or game to watch or help out with. I also like the simple pleasures of going out for dinner, hanging at the house or sneaking off to find new adventures – spending time with those I love the most is where I like to be!