Metta Sanders

Metta Sanders, Scored Banking Underwriter II with First Merchants Bank, has a desire many parents have—to make the world a better place for her daughter.

“I was an older parent, and when my daughter was born that’s when I looked around and realized just how valuable community is,” Metta explained. “I thought, ‘This is the world my daughter’s going to live in—what can I do to build on what we’ve been given and make it a better place for her?’”

For a long time, Metta moved around frequently, never staying in one place for more than three or four years. It’s one reason she made her career in banking—it offered reliable opportunities, no matter where she moved.

When she was young, Metta had dreams of being an archaeologist, but she got married in college, and when she graduated, she realized it wasn’t the right career for her.

“I’m thinking, I’m already married--I can't go dig holes in the desert. And nobody was offering jobs for digging holes in the desert at that point in time,” she recalled with a laugh.

Instead, she got a job at a local bank, which offered steady work and regular hours. As her husband’s high-pressure job kept the family moving around the country, she was grateful that banking meant she could find work wherever they landed. But when Metta’s daughter was born and the family settled in Greenfield, Indiana, she realized she wanted to have an impact beyond her work in banking.

“When you have a child the community gives so much to you—through teachers, clubs, resources—and I wanted to give back,” she shared.

Metta started volunteering. It’s work that meshes well with her job in banking, too, and she’s proud to work for an organization that supports that passion.

“I feel like I know people,” she explained. “After people finish their banking, they often swing by my office to chat—it’s such a great feeling to be so embedded in a community. And I feel like First Merchants aligns so well with who I am and what I want to give back to others.”

Metta serves on the board for the Humane Society of Hancock County, on the transportation board for a local school, on the board for the Women’s Resource Center of Hancock County and fundraises as a member of the Tri Kappa service sorority.

“I’m also the person that will volunteer if someone is needed to work a stand at the fair—I enjoy helping wherever there’s a need,” she shared. “I just feel like your community is so important. And if you don't step up to the plate and support it, who will?”

In her free time, Metta is an avid runner and enjoys gardening and reading.

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.”