Wes Jenkins

It was, of all things, the 2008 recession that led Wes Jenkins to banking. At the time, he was a flooring salesman, providing goods to big box stores. But when the recession hit and his clients had their lines of credit frozen, Wes needed to make a change.

“At the time, I was curious—how did banks navigate this line between helping their communities and keeping the doors open during a crisis,” he explained. “I really wanted to understand that, so I applied for a job at a regional bank.”

What he discovered was this: banking was a generational industry.

“They needed to be there for their communities tomorrow, and the day after, and the next year, and for the next 100 years,” he explained. “And I kind of fell in love with that dedication to community and constancy.”

From there, Wes was hooked. He’s stayed in banking and really taken that lesson to heart. As a Banking Center Manager, Wes dedicates his time to helping his communities and letting his neighbors know they can count on First Merchants in hard times. His personal approach to banking, where he considers customers’ individual situations, just isn’t possible at larger banks—it’s why he was drawn to First Merchants.

“I have to be the change I want to see in my community,” he shared. “If you drive down the street and see a home in disrepair, do you blame the homeowner? Do you blame the big bank that gave them a loan above market rate, so now they’re struggling to make ends meet and can’t afford repairs? Personally, I blame myself—because it means that I wasn’t there when someone in my community needed me. They didn’t know that they could rely on me, on my team, on First Merchants. That’s why banking and being seen and known in my community is something I’m furiously passionate about.”

“Banking impacts people’s lives,” he added. “And we can mess up their life if we’re not engaged. On the flip side, when we are engaged, we can change their life for the better in a meaningful way. It’s a valiant career we’re in, if we do it right. I don’t think we have the option to remain neutral.”

It means that the street Wes works on sometimes “resembles a Hallmark movie” as he greets people by name or pops out of the branch to chat with neighbors on the sidewalk. To Wes, it doesn’t matter if they’re a First Merchants customer or not—his goal is simply to make their day a little brighter, and to let them know that there’s someone they can lean on. It’s more than a job, it’s his legacy.

“My husband and I chose not to have children, so, when it’s my time to go, my legacy won’t be my children or my descendants. It will be the people I helped,” he said. “And they probably won’t even remember my name; but the financial stability they feel, the sense of belonging, the wellness of the community—I’ll have contributed to that, in some small way. When I go, I want to look back at my life and have no regrets.”

Wes serves with the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce and in the local community Action Group, where he often discusses financial wellness with local business owners. He and husband, Loren Thal have two dogs, Shelby and Mocha. In his spare time, Wes enjoys learning about cars and spending time at the lake.

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.”