Alisa McPhearson

Alisa McPhearson specializes in making connections. As an Executive Administrative Specialist with First Merchants, a major part of her work is matching volunteers to local organizations in need of a hand.

“It’s a full-time job,” she said. “It keeps me busy, and I love every minute of it.”

Alisa entered the banking world 35 years ago and has worked as everything from a receptionist to a residential loan processor, to Commercial Administrator, to closing Commercial Loans at a title company. But she feels like she’s finally found her calling in her current role.

“I absolutely love it,” she shared.

In her role, Alisa organizes volunteer events for more than 600 employees across Madison, Henry, and Delaware counties in central Indiana. However, her goal is to do more than just creating opportunities—she has a focused, mindful approach.

“I try and listen to the kinds of volunteer activities people want,” she explained. “When they suggest an organization they’re interested in partnering with, I try to reach out.”

That means First Merchants employees have a wide range of opportunities to pick from—from helping out the local animal shelter to planting gardens, in addition to more financial education-focused opportunities like working with Junior Achievement, TeenWorks, Eastern Indiana Works, and others. It’s an approach that works, and Alisa reports she rarely has trouble finding volunteers.

“I actually have to turn people away pretty frequently,” she said.

The second part of her approach is ensuring that the local community knows First Merchants is here, and here to stay.

“I think it’s important for us to be visible, for us to show that we care, to show that our employees care—and they do, because they reach out to me asking about volunteering. They really enjoy giving back,” she explained.

As someone who’s been in the workforce for more than 40 years, Alisa says she often gets asked why she’s still working.

“It’s so I can spoil my grandkids,” she jokes. “But honestly, I love what I do. I’ve been fortunate to have amazing supervisors and incredible teammates to work with for every position I’ve had within First Merchants. I enjoy coming in every day, I don’t look at it as a job. It’s helping the community and helping others prosper.”

In her spare time, Alisa loves spending time with her three grandkids and often travels with them across the US to cheer them on at their various sporting events.

Want to make a difference in your own community? We have open positions – find your passion: Careers With Us | First Merchants Bank

The Teammates in Action series features First Merchants teammates who embody the spirit and impact of the company’s Vision: “to enhance the financial wellness of the diverse communities we serve.”