Jayn Lawson
Manager, Member Support
GBA Insurance Trust
Atlanta, GA
Q: As GBA members meet you or talk to you for the first time, what can they expect from you?
A: Working in several of our member banks over the years, GBA always provided me with the resources needed in my Human Resources positions. From informative training and conferences to quality insurance and retirement products the GBA Insurance Trust offers, the entire staff at GBA always provided me with a level of customer service that is second to none. In my new position as Manager-Member Support at GBAIT, our members can expect the same excellent level of customer service from me that they have received from Susan Kelly and Lee Belaus for so many years. I’m honored to now be a member of the GBA Team and look forward to meeting and talking with all of our members and assisting them in any way possible!
Q: Who is someone that has influenced your chosen career path?
A: I have been very fortunate in my career to work with some of the finest bankers in Georgia. I’ve had many wonderful leaders along the way, but there are two who have had the most impact on my chosen career path. First, I had the honor of working alongside Jennifer Eavenson, now HR Director at United Bank, at two different banks over the years. She taught me every functional area of HR and that our employees were our customers, so it was just as important for us to listen to their needs and take care of them as our coworkers did for our bank customers. She also instilled in me that payroll needed to be processed accurately and in a timely manner because we all came to work for one primary reason - to get paid! The second person that influenced my chosen career path is one of my former managers, Johnny Smith, retired president and CEO of Newton Federal Bank, who encouraged me to obtain my Human Resources certification. I took a week of vacation to prepare for and take the exam, and while he had no idea that I was even scheduled to take it that week, he was the first person I called after passing and obtaining my SHRM-CP Certification. Johnny is a firm believer in and taught me that there is nothing more important in our jobs than to have an impact or make a difference in someone’s life and he certainly has impacted mine. If it weren’t for him, I probably would have never taken that grueling, four-hour exam! I’m forever grateful to both Jennifer and Johnny for their leadership and continued friendship to this day.
Q: If you weren’t doing what you are today, what career path would you have chosen?
A: Growing up, I always wanted to be a psychologist. However, I started my banking career in the late ‘80s and would not trade my 30+ year career in the banking industry for anything. The friendships I’ve gained in banking throughout the years has been very rewarding. Banks might come and go, but the friendships I have formed will last a lifetime!
Q: When you’re not on the job at GBA, what do you like to do?
A: Spending time with my family, especially my husband, Kevin, and our only child, Jenna, is always a top priority for me.
Q: What has been your favorite travel destination and why?
A: My favorite place to be is the beach! I have a brother and sister who live in the metro Orlando area, so I try to vacation at a beach near them as often as possible to see them and enjoy the beach.