My name is Tracey Hornbeck and I joined Legacy Trust just 8 weeks ago as Chief Operating Officer and CFO. After 20 years in the industry with a larger institution, it was time to make a change. I carefully thought through what was most important to me in my next career move as well as the qualities I would need in my next employer. I am not the type of person to change jobs often, so it was imperative to take my time and find the right fit. Some of my core guiding principles were:
- Integrity Matters – I believe where you work and how you work is part of your identity. The company I would align with must have the highest level of integrity and a trusted reputation.
- Local Matters – It matters to me and it matters to this community. People in West Michigan and Grand Rapids in particular take care of one another and want to do business with each other.
- Community Matters – I am very involved in our community. Choosing an organization that not only supports involvement, but places a high value on it was important to me.
- Growth Matters – Finding a company with an entrepreneurial spirit was key. There is something special about being part of a growth story and having the ability to directly impact the outcome.
Those guiding principles led me to Legacy Trust. I can truly affirm the company in which I put my faith is living out all that is important to me. I have a strong sense of pride for who we are as an organization and how we conduct our business. Every employee (and trust me, we have some incredible talent here) is committed to living out Legacy’s values. Legacy is local and committed to this community. Not only does it stand behind organizations with which employees are involved but it created its own community imprint with LTAC (The Legacy Trust Award Collection; to learn more: http://ltacarts.org/). And lastly, the entrepreneurial spirit is alive and strong. I sense it every day among the employees. But I was equally impressed in my first board meeting earlier this month. Our board is special — the mix of talent, diverse skill sets and level of engagement could rival any large publicly traded board in the Fortune 500. Each member expressed a personal commitment in helping Legacy achieve its goals.
So as we celebrate this joyous season, I am particularly grateful to be amongst an amazing team that lives by values I hold dear.
Warm Wishes and Happy Holidays,
Tracey Hornbeck