Leena Stover

Vice President, Asset Based Lending Truist Financial

40 Under 40 Category: Business Development

Biography:

Leena Stover is a vice president in the Assed Based Lending Group for Truist Financial. Leena is responsible for ABL originations in the southeast and mid-Atlantic.  She joined SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist) in February 2015. 

Leena has 12 years of banking experience. Prior to SunTrust, she was a vice president with BB&T in their Corporate Banking group. With her previous experience in underwriting and portfolio management, she brings a full skillset to the origination of ABL loans for publicly and privately held companies in a diverse range of industries and capital structures.

Leena holds a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Elon University and a master in finance from Johns Hopkins University. She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, Danny, and their two young daughters, Emery and Leighton.

What is the best professional advice you have been given and how have you implemented it? 

I have been very fortunate to have great mentors in my life. Whether it’s family members, friends, or coworkers, I have always had supportive and strong people around me. The best professional advice I have been given is to stay true to you. It is important to be authentic. Don’t try to change yourself to fit in. Find a workplace where you enjoy the work and the people that surround you. You should feel comfortable being yourself. It is important to like what you do and who you are doing it with. 

How have you managed to stay in touch with colleagues and clients during this time of working remotely?

In this new entirely remote environment it quickly became all the more important to make an effort to stay in touch with colleagues and clients. Instead of having the fallback of going to the office each day or meeting in a client’s office, you now have to connect on the phone, e-mail or WebEx. 

Fortunately, technology has made this transition seamless. Companies have been forced to get creative with virtual meetings and events. Whether it is pitching new business, a virtual happy hour, or even wine tasting! The industry seems to have successfully adapted to this new remote environment.

The banking world in particular is ever-changing. It could be organizational changes, process changes, or industry wide changes. To be successful, you must be nimble and adaptable to this change. COVID is just another example of how the industry changed. 

How do you define a good leader? 

A good leader is someone who elevates others around them. They lead by setting a good example and maintaining a positive attitude. In the ever-changing environment of banking, a good leader is adaptable and able to lead their team through change. 

I have been fortunate to have many good leaders over the course of my career. They lead by example and I am forever grateful to have had them in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.  

What advice do you normally give to the junior talent you mentor?

My advice to junior talent is threefold – stay positive, ask questions, and be eager to learn. 

Stay positive: it is important to keep a good attitude, both for you and others. Work hard and try to have fun! There will be hard times where you are frustrated, don’t understand or simply have too much to do. Try to stay positive through these periods that are inevitable – seek advice or just step away. Focus on the positive. 

Don’t be afraid to ask questions: take advantage of being new and ask as many questions as you can. No one expects you to understand everything when you start. Leverage others’ experience and knowledge to boost your own. There is so much to learn. 

Be eager to learn: when you start your career you have so much to learn, keep an open mind and try to diversify your experience. Stay focused, work hard and have pride in your work.